Echo Chambers

So many people seem to live inside an echo chamber. You know, the kind of space where whatever we think-feel-believe is simply reinforced and made louder by all those we surround ourselves with who think-feel-believe the same way. And we tend to reinforce the echo-effect by watching the same pundits on TV and tuning out any and all counterpoints or perspectives.

Frankly, living in an echo-chamber is intellectual suicide… yet, most people construct their lives in that precise way.

Over the years I have been very intentional about living outside the echo chamber. Social media is actually a great tool for this, assuming you use it to broaden perspective, not narrow it.

If all your friends on Facebook are liking and posting the same Fox News report or MSNBC report or what have you, it simply amplifies the echo effect.

I am often times surprised (dismayed? shocked?) at some of the things posted on Facebook or Twitter or Instagram by people in my social network. My network includes socialists, feminists, liberals, conservatives, fundamentalists, evangelicals, Christians, Jews, Muslims, atheists, Buddhists, Hindis, secular humanists, Democrats, Republicans, blacks, whites, Asians, straight, gay, bi, trans, queer, etc etc etc.

I think that is healthy and good and of great value.