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In non-media-hyped societies, voters of different parties can sit on the same table and talk about their lives without ever touching political issues. This kind

In non-media-hyped societies, voters of different parties can sit on the same table and talk about their lives without ever touching political issues. This kind of polarisation is a US phenomenon that is spreading worldwide like wildfire through mass-media outlets.

luckylion 4y ago
Yeah, I'm sure that would've gone over well in Germany in the 30ies, NSDAP members and KPD members discussing their lives without touching political issues.
- snowpid 4y ago
  Weimar in the 30ies was heavely poralised.
  - luckylion 4y ago
    It was, but it wasn't "a US phenomenon that is spreading worldwide like wildfire through mass-media outlets". People don't need mass-media with a 24-hours news-cycle and social media bubbles to get polarized.
    - adamrezich 4y ago
      but the internet connections in our pockets certainly don't help things either
- bluetomcat 4y ago
  Case in point from where I live: Bulgaria. Just 10 years ago I can remember a time when Facebook was used primarily for sharing family photos and journeys. Now it has become a toxic pit where grumpy and bitter aunties are reading fake news and writing insulting name-calling comments after anyone who expresses disagreement. Political figures are impulsively posting short write-ups, full of emotional hatred. Short memes and news-invented neologisms are circulating all over the societal discourse. Problems that were once non-existent in Bulgarian society, are now discussed with vehement enthusiasm and basic misunderstanding.
  - luckylion 4y ago
    Unfortunately we don't have access to an alternate universe where Bulgaria has taken the same trajectory in all things but Facebook, Twitter etc had been banned. But my guess is: it wouldn't have mattered. I don't believe that we get that behavior because Facebook enables us to be petty. I believe that we get that behavior because of the circumstances (i.e. rapidly changing economical and cultural environment that make people fearful and uncertain and will make them fall back on their core values) and people realizing that you can convince/manipulate others better if you deliver your messages in a short, meme-style format, appeal to their emotions, play into identity politics and "own" the other side. Even if you outlawed Facebook, once politicians, activists etc realize that this works, they'll use it in whatever media you allow. The only winning move (individually) is not to play, at least that's my experience. You can tune out, concentrate on whatever you deem important and the world won't fall apart just because you're not spending your time and energy explaining to people that they're being manipulated, because after all, most things move slowly. Before each election, everybody speaks as if this was the one that matters. As if, should they lose this time, all is lost because they will destroy everything. And afterwards, everything just trots on as it always has (Yes, I'm sure there are exceptions, but in most countries the situation isn't exceptional). And if you do play and try to educate others about their manipulated intellects, all they'll see is that you are being manipulated and you're now trying to manipulate them. It feels great sometimes to tell them off and get applause, but you won't change hearts and minds, and you should be aware that it's a game. On the other hand, I firmly believe: if you want to improve society, hug the bitter aunties, ask them how they've been and share some traditional food you can bond over, that'll make it much easier to communicate and find common ground.
- n4r9 4y ago
  Hmm, is the article talking about party members, or just people who identify with certain beliefs? Its seems to me like you risk comparing apples and oranges.

luckylion 4y ago

Yeah, I'm sure that would've gone over well in Germany in the 30ies, NSDAP members and KPD members discussing their lives without touching political issues.

snowpid 4y ago
Weimar in the 30ies was heavely poralised.
- luckylion 4y ago
  It was, but it wasn't "a US phenomenon that is spreading worldwide like wildfire through mass-media outlets". People don't need mass-media with a 24-hours news-cycle and social media bubbles to get polarized.
  - adamrezich 4y ago
    but the internet connections in our pockets certainly don't help things either
bluetomcat 4y ago
Case in point from where I live: Bulgaria. Just 10 years ago I can remember a time when Facebook was used primarily for sharing family photos and journeys. Now it has become a toxic pit where grumpy and bitter aunties are reading fake news and writing insulting name-calling comments after anyone who expresses disagreement. Political figures are impulsively posting short write-ups, full of emotional hatred. Short memes and news-invented neologisms are circulating all over the societal discourse. Problems that were once non-existent in Bulgarian society, are now discussed with vehement enthusiasm and basic misunderstanding.
- luckylion 4y ago
  Unfortunately we don't have access to an alternate universe where Bulgaria has taken the same trajectory in all things but Facebook, Twitter etc had been banned. But my guess is: it wouldn't have mattered. I don't believe that we get that behavior because Facebook enables us to be petty. I believe that we get that behavior because of the circumstances (i.e. rapidly changing economical and cultural environment that make people fearful and uncertain and will make them fall back on their core values) and people realizing that you can convince/manipulate others better if you deliver your messages in a short, meme-style format, appeal to their emotions, play into identity politics and "own" the other side. Even if you outlawed Facebook, once politicians, activists etc realize that this works, they'll use it in whatever media you allow. The only winning move (individually) is not to play, at least that's my experience. You can tune out, concentrate on whatever you deem important and the world won't fall apart just because you're not spending your time and energy explaining to people that they're being manipulated, because after all, most things move slowly. Before each election, everybody speaks as if this was the one that matters. As if, should they lose this time, all is lost because they will destroy everything. And afterwards, everything just trots on as it always has (Yes, I'm sure there are exceptions, but in most countries the situation isn't exceptional). And if you do play and try to educate others about their manipulated intellects, all they'll see is that you are being manipulated and you're now trying to manipulate them. It feels great sometimes to tell them off and get applause, but you won't change hearts and minds, and you should be aware that it's a game. On the other hand, I firmly believe: if you want to improve society, hug the bitter aunties, ask them how they've been and share some traditional food you can bond over, that'll make it much easier to communicate and find common ground.
n4r9 4y ago
Hmm, is the article talking about party members, or just people who identify with certain beliefs? Its seems to me like you risk comparing apples and oranges.