I’m not sure if what I will say here is just a candle in the wind or one bulb on a string of Christmas lights. Preferably the latter, since I’d rather be a part of a bigger movement than have my words get lost in this sea of uneasiness we’ve seen of late.
First, let’s take a moment to reflect on the fact that everyone reading this, particularly students and faculty, are living through one of the most unique periods of this country’s history. Not only have we all experienced America’s first president of color, but we have also elected the first president without any political or military experience to lead our nation.
No matter where you stand on that second fact, you must appreciate that our electoral system works in such a way that someone from the private sector — “one of us” — can be the next president. On top of this, America came very close to having its first woman president after this election, which is truly a monumental achievement in the fight for equality among the sexes.
However, even more interesting is the idea that our generation is probably the first voting generation to solely get their election news from the internet. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube all provided strong outlets for expression and information about the election. Even major candidates themselves participated in the discourse on the internet. With most news networks on the decline, this election could very well have been decided by the internet generation.
That thought both fascinates and frightens me.
In the wake of this election season, I find it incredibly relevant to warn my peers and even my elders about the dangers of staying plugged in to the world through our computer screens.
As many have pointed out before me, the internet can be a great place to learn about news and get that information very quickly, but it comes with some caveats. When the only sources for your news are your favorite liberal- or conservative-branded media, your view of the world is beyond obscured.
By continually affirming your beliefs with the same outlets that share your opinions, you don’t challenge your beliefs enough to strengthen them. You take their word as truth, and anyone outside of your opinion circle must be wrong. In psychology, we call this phenomenon a confirmation bias, while the media prefers the term “echo chamber.”
In our echo chambers, we are safe. We can interact with those who share our opinions without feeling challenged to stand up for those beliefs or even needing to know if they are right. These echo chambers are what led to the great backlash when Trump swept many once-blue states from the Democrats’ pockets.
The Democrats’ echo chambers lead them to believe that Trump didn’t have a chance in these areas, so his win seemed like a flaw in the system rather than a wake-up call. We also have echo chambers to thank in part for the great divide of the nation during this past election season.
With both sides turning to their preferred websites and news channels, neither side had to interact with one another outside of yelling their biased, and often false, comments.
If Donald Trump won’t shake up Washington, D.C., like he promised, he certainly has shaken up the public perception of the media.
No longer can we put full faith in our social networks and newsrooms to provide universal truths about the political facts of today. Instead, we must consider all points of view and actively challenge those viewpoints. We must step out of our echo chambers and into the real world if we want to make real change.
