Plasma Sun and Paddleboarders, Sant Pol de Mar, Catalunya, 2020
One Nation, Highly Divisible
Yes, we all have been hearing about how divided we are as a country. Other countries are having similar issues. Right and left. Neo-nazis and Antifa. The Haves and the Have Nots. Trump and Bernie. Rich and Poor. Conservatives and Liberals. White and Black. And so on. Blah, blah, blah.
It’s also well known that many of us live in our own comfy little echo chambers (Fox News, CNBC, The Daily Stormer, Mother Jones) and are rarely exposed to anything new or different–and almost never exposed to anything contrarian. God forbid!
Then there are those who seem to latch on to some of the more extreme ideas at either end of the spectrum and become “radicalized”. Like the nut case who showed up at the Washington D.C. pizza parlor ostensibly to free the abused children from the basement, firing his AR-15 into the building. (Yeah, Pizzagate. Some people still believe in it.)
Personally, I don’t think the vast majority of us Americans are really that divided or that extreme. But the news and social media and social media seem to like playing up our differences. Whipping up a frenzy makes for good ratings and more clicks… more advertising dollars. Money makes the world go ’round, naturally.
The Problem?
So, yes, part of the problem is that folks tend to stay with news programs, talk shows, radio, and TV that reflect and reinforce their personal views.
Then, of course, there’s Russia, China, Iran et al and their troll bots and fake news.
But, in our own social media–Google, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, et al–there is something additional going on that is wreaking havoc on our society. And it works in perfect tandem with the “silo/echo chamber theory” and the foreign actor truths I’ve just outlined. It is subtle, but very powerful.
To what awful thing do I refer?
This…
These social media platforms employ algorithms whose sole purpose is getting us to increase our screen time–to keep us clicking away on the cheese lever like little starving, salivating rats. These algorithms look at what we do online and try to send us even more attractive click bait, all closely related to our previous searches and views. The algorithmn doesn’t care if what they send us is true or false, fact or fiction, real information, misinformation, or disinformation. The only objective is to drive up our screen time and the clicks. More clicks mean more advertising dollars. Happy CEOs and happy stock holders, dontcha know!
Two people could put in the same term into the Google SEARCH box–say, “Biden and socialism” and Google will vomit up radically different suggestions to each depending on their previous search histories.
And it all inevitably leads to the dumbing down, fracturing, and angering of America.
Into this fractured fray steps Netflix with a just released documentary film of this social media phenomena. It’s good and really should be required viewing for every American–indeed, it should be shown in all of our high schools. (Hey, while we are at it, howsabout an entire semester course on how to use these here interwebs safely and smartly, and stay mentally hinged while doing so!?)
I highly recommend you let your Facebook account sit idle for a few minutes, log on to Netflix, and watch this one.
Here is the trailer to get you into the spirit of things:
The solution, then…?
So, how can We the People fight back against the Social Media Monster and the ongoing Mis/DisInformation Blizzard?
First, watch the above documentary right now. This will get you fired up.
Next, work through this checklist…
–Take a good hard look at all your settings on your electronic devices. Change them for more privacy. Turn off notifications. Turn off unnecessary location transmissions. (Google around for recommendations from privacy experts.)
–Consider completely dumping certain apps. (I no longer am on Facebook or Instagram, for example, and I’m actually still alive–and more productive.)
–Get your news from a wide variety of sources, including foreign networks. (If Faux News is the only thing on your television 24/7 at your abode, there is a very good chance you are actually less informed than you should be. Fact.)
–Fact check news items before you forward them to friends. Don’t be the dumbo who spreads misinformation.
–Understand that EVERYTHING you do on your computer or phone is out there floating around and can be tracked, found, published, and used against you. (Everything!)
–Try reading. And don’t just read books put out by the loudmouths who prey on our fear and anger. Look for authors who are generally seen as experts in their field, not just the usual divisive talking heads.
–Limit device use with your kids. Talk to them honestly about what these apps do, the benefits and pitfalls. Make sure they don’t depend solely on “Likes” to feel loved.
–Limit your own device use. Don’t go for “click bait” or “recommended for you” content. Use a fictional profile with misleading gender, age and name.
–Go for a walk in the forest, on the beach, to the park, or even just around the block.
–Take some deep breathes. Take a yoga class. Slow down. Look at the clouds and the birds. Smell the roses.
[TYPICAL ANECDOTE: A taxi driver once voiced the concern that Bill Gates would inject a tracking chip into all of us with any new COVID-19 vaccine. First, it’s a lie—a stupid conspiracy theory. Second, why even go through the trouble when our cell phones already track our locations, our behavior, our finances, and our very personal interests better than any microscopic microchip ever could.]
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