Politics & Echo Chambers: Perspective from a Political Communications Consultant
As a political and communications consultant, I have watched this election cycle (and moreover, the past 6+ years), unfold with great curiosity and mixed feelings. As someone deeply embedded in the world of politics and media, as well as an active citizen, I have watched current events both as an insider and outsider; within and without. I do not pretend to know more than others about the state of the world, media, and politics- but I have watched carefully as our country has become evermore divisive, strained, and hateful towards each other. I have tried to make sense of the variables, the social structures, and the culture that has allowed everything wrong with humanity to fester within our political structures. And now I am going to try and lay out the lessons I have learned in hopes that if together we can name it, we can call it out and change our course.
As a PR & Communications consultant, I work mainly on social media platforms and with media outlets. I have detailed knowledge of Facebook, SEO, news platforms, traditional media, etc. I see these things are neither good nor evil, but I recognize the power they have over our culture and believe that if unchecked, they will continue to encourage the splintering of our society.
I love social media and the internet, I really do. I believe in the power of information, knowledge and connection at our fingertips and available to all. But I agree with Olaf’s theory that advancing technology as both our savior and our doom (if you haven’t seen Frozen 2 yet, sorry…). Consider social media: no matter your views, opinions, hobbies, etc., I guarantee I can find or create a group just for you with people that share exactly your outlook. You can then join this group, listen to and agree with everyone else on these particular subjects, and slowly start to forget that anyone else may think differently- and have a right to do so. Further, I can create a newsfeed for you based exactly around what you want to hear and see, and throw in a few targeted ads that you will absolutely agree with and will make you wonder how anyone else would be stupid enough to think any other way.
Then, when we take a break from the continuous reinforcement that we are right (“Look how many people agree with me!”), and enter back into a world where human experience complicates this and we all have different backgrounds, experiences, and understandings, we immediately revert back to our primal ‘us vs. them’ mentalities and see the other as an enemy that doesn’t deserve our time, respect, and consideration.
The media does not help this. In fact, I believe that traditional media outlets recognized the power of echo chambers early on in this age of internet and technological advances, and tuned into and utilized this. As information became readily available and media platforms had to get competitive to stay relevant, that was a simple answer. And so begins the cyclical cycle of media editorializing and cherry picking their stories to match the demographic they are after, receiving positive reinforcement on those stories, and responding with more and more biased stories that fit that specific narrative their audience has come to expect.
Everyone working in public relations, communications, marketing, etc. then begin to work in this reality. Only pitching stories to specific media outlets that will be looking for particular narratives and spins. Targeting ads and posts to audiences on social media of their choosing. Furthering the echo chambers and reinforcing these cycles. Only sharing what they know the consumer will want to hear.
Nothing will change in politics until we dismantle the echo chambers in which we find ourselves. With social media and the internet, people can search for a find groups that believe exactly as they do, and then they can hide themselves away in ‘safe spaces’ where no one disagrees with them. This is creating two problems: 1)We have completely lost the ability to form successful societies in which we disagree with each other and can let objective truth guide us, and 2) These echo chambers have reduced deep human complexities down into a black and white extreme points of view that do not hold the ability to face the uncomfortable reality that issues are multi-faceted and messy.
These echo chambers are comfortable, they make us feel good and confident in our views, and that is why they are so detrimental. We all think, “Ah, it is so nice to be around like-minded people,” and that is true in small doses. But the more time we spend in these echo chambers, eventually we begin to lose our compassion, empathy, and ability to create and manage discourse.
I urge everyone to start paying attention to the information they are being fed. Look at your sources, find better (read: non-biased, non-editorialized) sources to consume your news, and question whether your echo chambers are serving you and your community. Take some time to read differing points of view- especially on topics you don’t agree with. Read stories of people that grew up and believe differently than you, and flex that empathy muscle. Switch up your newsfeed, and begin to stretch
Note: I am talking generally about different world views and opinions and the ability to discuss political issues. What I do not consider a political issue is the right for people to live safely, love whomever they like, and become whomever they were meant to be. I stand with BIPoC, LGBTQ, and all other marginalized groups that are fighting for equal rights. Marginalized groups’ humanity and worthiness for equal rights are not political views, they are moral ones.
