tribalism

t’s increasingly clear that social media exacerbates our differences, using emotional wording and algorithms to curate what information we’re exposed to. The result is that these features conspire to echo, rather than expand, our thinking. Included in this chain of “causative” links is one of our most human needs: belonging – especially to a tribe.
As is most everything in life, being open-minded is hard work. It actually takes conscientious effort. Like being charitable or becoming a violin virtuoso, it requires practice. One does not become open-minded overnight. But you can always start on your journey today.
The ubiquitous online portals are always in the news. A new study looks at how we use – and are used by – these virtual conversations that first started taking place around the campfire before moving to the water cooler.
Results of a recent "right track-wrong track" poll of Americans aren't just negative; they are overwhelmingly and embarrassingly negative. Moreover, the idea that the nation has been heading in the wrong direction has been holding sway for years. Pessimism is in high gear, and at the center of this perfect storm is social media.