Echo Chamber

I just saw a post in the Polls community that reflected some of my thoughts this very morning about the possibility that imzy might be an echo chamber of sorts.

So I dug up this article that I read a while back. Here are some key excerpts

Upon examination of Americans’ social media habits, the data reveal that about a third of users do not perceive much diversity of opinion in their news feeds, though many seem to recognize the value of exposure to diverse views. The Pew Research Center’s State of the Media 2016 study shows that 31 percent of social media users perceive the news posted by their friends or family to present diverse opinions, while 35 percent say posts from friends or family present just one set of viewpoints. Of this subset, 69 percent say they would like to see more diverse viewpoints in their online social circle, while 30 percent are okay with one-sidedness.

Data from the Pew Research Center reveal that the echo chamber is not necessarily born of a refusal to consider opposing viewpoints, but has developed out of the negative political climate and of the desire to avoid confrontation.

It's a short read, but it's packed with a lot to think about. I was wondering earlier today why this community doesn't see views from conservative imzy users. It could be a host of things. I have noticed two things and think about them regularly.

  1. If one is to post an article or view that is opposing to their own (which, more often than not is conservative), they begin their post by trying to shield themselves: "I don't personally believe this, but..." (And I'm about to do something similar) I'm not criticizing anyone for that; it's just something I have noticed. I thinks sometimes: "what does this precaution say about imzy? About social media as a whole? About human behavior?"

  2. There have been very caustic reactions (not necessarily in this specific community) about things that are seemingly much less consequential, much less polarizing. I think that there's a possibility that witnessing these reactions may contribute in part to a kind of silence. Again, not trying to criticize, I'm just thinking outloud.

What do you think?