50 years ago, if you had a minority opinion, that was simply it - you were the minority. You had to be persuasive, and sway people to your side, or you had to temper yourself, and frame your beliefs in a more palatable way. Now, there are some obvious downsides to this, and there's some upsides to 'truth' without compromise. But in this new technical age, it seems as though there's no reason to ever change your beliefs. Even the most minority opinion can find its fellows thanks to the world-linking power of the Web.
Let's put it another way. Let's say you believe, for whatever reason, that old school territorial tag team wrestling, like NWA Era stuff, is the highest form of art on the planet. You believe nothing else is comparable - not music, nor film, nor fine art. All pales in comparison to the work of greats like Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard. But you live in a small city, and despite even attending wrestling related events, no one shares your oddly specific passion. Moreover, due to some inexplicable shenanigans, there's no Internet in this town. You still get mail, and thanks to the dedicated work of tape traders can find info about the thing you're passionate about, but you can't find a forum in which your passion is reciprocated.
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Blanchard and Anderson (see also: The Four Horsemen) |
Now consider an alternative town, one wherein you HAVE the Internet. You do some digging, and low and behold there’s actually a community out there that shares your exact passions. In all likelihood, it's a subreddit, because that's just how these things go. But whatever it is, you log on, and you’re surrounded by fans of the Four Horsemen and the Killer Bs. You begin spending a huge chunk of time there, talking about matches and sharing your thoughts about how Arn Anderson might be the single greatest human being on the planet.
Why yes, I do like Arn Anderson. What's your point? |
Is this construction absurd? Very much so! Nonetheless, it speaks to a fundamental truth: much like plants, people grow - but only in the right environments and only when fed the proper nutrients.
Now, let's get some caveats out of the way, before things spiral out of hand. Yes, this fundamentally comes down to a personalize decision - it's about being open to new experiences, and not about the technology we use to execute that decision. There are assholes in the world at large, and they are kind and adventurous people on the internet. And yes, sometimes people DON'T necessarily need to be heard. There's a difference between being open to things and blindly accepting all the information that's flung at you. Moreover, the right to speak freely does not come packaged with the right to demand attention. Just because you've got something to say doesn't mean anyone is obligated to listen.
But I think what's undeniably true is that right now, more than any other time in our existence, we can live in isolation from each other. We can filter any and all information we receive, and we can personalize it exactly the way we like. That's brilliant, but it's also dangerous. It breeds familiarity and comfort, but it also breeds lethargy and laziness. And more than anything else, it breeds division. And as Americans - as citizens of a nation built on the idea that we're stronger together than we've ever been when we were apart, a nation that would not exist without compromise and parallax, maybe there's something to be said for listening to something coming from outside our own personal echo chamber.
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