dexter and sinister
thank you for being here, and i hope you'll find these ideas interesting
why do we hate each other?
The current political landscape has become increasingly polarized. For example, in the United States, the trend of polarization appears quite worrisome.
For a long time, the leading explanation has been the role of social media bubbles. These platforms use algorithms to create a positive feedback loop, showing you content that echoes your preferences and beliefs. As a result, opinions that might once have seemed extreme begin to appear more moderate, subtly shifting your perception of what is normal. However, research into the effects of filter bubbles and echo chambers reveals a more nuanced picture than once thought. Effectively, extreme filter bubbles seem to be a rare phenomenon with trivial effects on public opinion formation [2][3][4][5]. It’s usually the opposite: online, you are confronted with various opinions that differ from your own. The most ideologically isolated place is real life, so the filter bubble exists in your real life, not online.
The real explanation for the political landscape being increasingly polarized is human evolution. Historically, human brains evolved not to grasp the true nature of reality but to navigate and maintain social structures, as cooperation was crucial for survival. Physical proximity and shared community activities historically facilitated social cohesion, even among those with differing views [6]. Even as societies expanded from tribes to larger communities and nations, the need for social cohesion remained, albeit challenged by increasing diversity. Disagreements and conflicts, while potentially beneficial for societal evolution, necessitated a form of social glue to maintain unity.
However, social media introduced a new digital form of social interaction that significantly impacts our social dynamics. In social media, we encounter a vast array of differing opinions, leading to social sorting, where individuals are categorized based on their worldviews [7]. This digital environment lacks the traditional social glue of physical communities, making disagreements more personal and divisive. Consequently, people are more likely to align with those who share their views and dismiss or critically judge those with opposing views. Social media platforms, driven by engagement, often amplify anger and controversy, exacerbating these divisions by presenting the most extreme viewpoints, thus reinforcing the us-versus-them mentality [8]. This issue is particularly acute in the U.S. due to its two-party system, which simplifies the division into binary teams, thereby heightening negative opinions about the opposing party to record highs. This trend is illustrated in Figure 1, where the U.S. is shown to be becoming much more polarized than other nations.
The solution to this problem isn’t easy, as our brains have evolved to think this way. We should engage in self-examination to understand why we believe what we do and to question the validity of information based on its source, not just on who presents it. Rebuilding social cohesion is essential to addressing the problem of polarization. Revisiting the structure of the pre-social media internet, characterized by smaller, more fragmented online communities (e.g., forums, bulletin boards, and blogs), is a step towards that goal. These platforms allowed for more controlled, niche interactions without the constant engagement algorithms of today’s social media, offering a more manageable and satisfying online experience.
sources:
[1] https://v-dem.net/vdemds.html
[2] https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2158244019832705
[3] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-81531-x
[4] https://academic.oup.com/poq/article/80/S1/298/2223402
[5] https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev-polisci-100711-135242
[6] https://www.populismstudies.org/Vocabulary/cultural-tribalism/
[8] https://www.pnas.org/doi/epdf/10.1073/pnas.2207159119
[9] https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1473095219869386