I like to climb mountains. If you have ever been on a valley ridge, you know the irresistible pleasure of cupping your hands and shouting to hear your voice echo down the valley.
Our digital news feeds behave similarly -- like echo chambers -- but I was numb to how that shapes my attitude and decision-making. The information, beliefs, and ideas with which we align get repeated -- even amplified -- while competing views are underrepresented to make it a more comfortable experience.
My ideology is reasonable according to my life experiences and knowledge, but we are exposed to contradicting information, which we trust as honesty and truth.
This is logical, but is a tough lens to look through in practice.
We could blame this on how we feel understood with the click of a button, expecting friends to instantly agree -- no discussion required.
We could blame it on our deeply rooted views that come with age, travel, and education.
We could blame it on the way we consume news and information these days.
But I can't blame it on that or anything but myself.
I am going to try harder to seek out those who are likely to grind at my world views.
Let’s invite a neighbor over for coffee, or take a coworker to lunch. You can treat an old schoolmate to beers, or reach out to a relative who might oppose your ideas.
I am sharing this tough lesson with love, and I hope to chat with you soon!
I’m Robert Erickson, and that’s my perspective.