How do you think social media algorithms shape our views on controversial topics? What’s one way we can break out of our own echo chambers and truly listen to opposing perspectives?
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It’s the worst. I think Trump won in 2016 because bots and propaganda proliferated. Admittedly, I spend a lot of time on FB. One way to break out of the echo chamber is to befriend people with differing perspectives. I am a house/pet sitter. Two of my clients are hard core right wing. We just don’t talk about it. They both know I am progressive. I lead with compassion, kindness and humor in conversations with them and they are lovely people—aside from their political views.
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Social media algorithms shape our views on controversial topics through; manipulation, distortion, fabrication of truth, force feeding fear, creating echo chambers, ect. Our time and attention is the most valuable resource on Earth, and corporations will stop at no lengths to keep us on their platforms. Profit > people to these corporations. With social media, we are not the consumer, but in fact the product being sold.
One way that helped me break from my echo chamber is that I deleted all of my social media. It wasn’t serving me, and I haven’t looked back. It’s so much easier listening to opposing views when you are face to face with an open heart.
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We believe things that we see and nowadays social media has the power to manipulate each on of us. Everyday something or other is being trending or people are fighting/arguing over this or that…
If the content/news is serious/sensitive I overcome my echo chamber by reading about it maybe from both the perspectives to understand the topic better(politics, geographical, sports…)but social media nowadays has content which doesn’t make sense hence I started taking social media breaks for 6 months to 1 year.
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I found myself mostly hopping off of social media a few years back because I just felt stuck in a feedback loop for whatever was the most triggering topic, both positive or negative triggers. It made it hard to see the whole picture of life around me, or whatever event was going on that I was hearing about without colored lenses. I’ve been actively choosing to seek out conversations (podcasts mostly) where the individuals intentionally engage with multiple viewpoints. This has really helped me see the world as more grey lately and less black and white. It’s really hard at times, because I generally like the black or white point of view more, but trying to see all sides helps to humanize situations which otherwise would have sent me into a week long rant to anyone who would listen
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Social media algorithms not only lead me deeper into my preferred ideological silos, they serve me content that amplifies the sense of urgency and the emotional reactivity surrounding the issues and concerns that I happen to be paying attention to. In the end, not only is the informational content skewed, the emotional/psychological/spiritual/somatic charge of it often gets amped up to a fever pitch. In situations of conflict and disagreement, this so easily leads to dehumanizing judgements of “the other” and worse. One way I can get out of these swift and strong currents? I try to seek out opportunities to read, listen to, and receive perspectives different from the ones that feel most comfortable and resonant for me. For me this means stepping away from social media and outrage news sources, and seeking out writers, friends, coworkers, and others who are willing to engage in more open, mutually curious and deeply human dialog. That often means I have to be willing to get pretty uncomfortable and do some hard listening work. I’m not always in a place where I am ready to do that, but when I am, and when I seek it out, I always learn and grow.
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Well my first thought was… stay off of social media 
But I know that not a lot of people want to do that so… joining groups in the community that we’re likely to find people different from ourselves can help. I’ve found that when I volunteer, I’m usually surrounded by people outside my bubble and it’s very refreshing. I’ve been contemplating this question lately actually, because I recently moved to a new city and I feel drawn to build connections here, but not only with people similar to me. I’m looking forward to hearing others’ thoughts.
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I really appreciate your willingness to get uncomfortable and listen to POVs that you don’t necessarily enjoy hearing. That sounds uncomfortable but really valuable! If you want to, I’d love to hear of some of your favorite podcasts that interview people with varying perspectives.
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Of course! I actually just listened to Lex Friedman’s podcast for the first time this past week, and found a few interviews with people I would generally avoid altogether. Lex did a very good job allowing people to express their opinions, while also making sure to address counterpoints in a healthy way. At the beginning of episodes there was definitely some uncomfortableness and anxiety about what they’re going to say, or what does this mean about me if I’m listening to someone like this! I found very quickly each time that once I let my guard down I’d see another human being, who is passionate about something they care about, and wanted to do what they could to help with it. By the end, the differences between us seemed to be smaller than the things we had in common, and even if I still don’t agree with their beliefs, I’m trying to appreciate the human who worked hard to form them
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I don’t get sucked in so much as I get angry (maybe that is being sucked in…), but ultimately I’ve found, there is very little to no nourishment in social media.
Reading helps me gain perspectives on POV’s different from my own, and I try to focus on good things humanity does, such as learning about new cosmic discoveries, or paleontology, ancient cultures, or how plants and trees behave!
I’ve also found that helping others helps me, (Bhakti yoga?) It is an action of reciprocal healing. This focus helps get my head and heart out of the storm.
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Wow! What an amazing process. You’re inspiring me to try that, even though it’s oddly scary. Like Jackie mentioned in the talk last night, I find there’s a lot of fear in letting that guard down because I’m afraid that will allow the bad things to happen, or will make my will to create positive change, falter. It’s encouraging to hear how that went for you. Thanks for sharing 
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I feel like social media can force our hands in regards to the paradigms/vehicles we use to contextualize certain social issues, but that we live in an era where its becoming increasingly unlikely, at arguably an exponential rate, that media can be used to mislead individuals in a meaningful fashion, even if they went so far as to present facts with no basis in reality, at that. It’s not that we necessarily need to hear opposing perspectives to arrive at a holistic vision of truth regarding any issue, but that we recognize that any perspective/opinion regarding the topic is a reliable vehicle by which to arrive at the truth of the matter, and that we participate with said process gracefully, with respect. These various archetypes with their various atypical approaches to the issues themselves are imbued with a deeper Orienting force that itself walks each and every one of us home while also manifesting social harmony; no one is “wrong” and this all is about every one reaching spiritual maturity/realization/fulfillment.
At their worst, the fat cats of the world have been known to somehow, mysteriously, pre-package the flow of information, the algorithms, as such that the narrative tone of that which is presented itself seems to quietly present a thesis that individuals are not capable of being culpable for the entirety of their own lives, and therefore, can never be fully free, but the truth of the matter is the utter opposite, and has been in every society since the dawn of time. Religion/spirituality is the active discourse which relays as much, but really every single academic discipline itself too realizes these eternal and recurring truths at their cores (psychology, philosophy, etc.).
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I don’t use social media except “to get to God”. I read about and share spiritual content. That’s how I connect with likeminded people.
It’s at our disposal… so might as well use it in a positive way. To spread love and kindness. 
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What’s sobering, based on what I know, the most powerful computing devices we now own and operate as individuals are ‘smart phones’. So, the echo-chamber AI hyperactivity is happening in the palms of our hands.
As Dr. Amishi Jha (U Miami) with a PHD in neuroscience says: “attention is your brain’s boss. Where your attention goes, your brain follows.”
What to do?
For your consideration is Cal Newport’s work, Deep Work and subsequent teachings…on how to manage screen time and social media. He really transformed me.
PS: I haven’t ‘quit’ social media, but have quit being a slave to it (since 2018, when I believe I finally broke free of the addictive stress of alerts on my phone during a silence retreat). Today, some platforms are used for ‘good work’…most are now avoided and carefully managed on my phone and laptop.
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Your comments really resonated, Dylan. Namaste.
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