\n
There was also an overwhelming feeling that being on the right causes you to be discriminated against in society. Reformers were complaining of being called a far-right thug just because they support Nigel Farage. El*n M*sk fans lamented the abuse he received for doing a salute that looked eerily similar to a nazi salute: \u201cliberals when they make fun of an autistic man giving his heart to the crowd.\u201d Students bragged, \u201cgetting an A+ after pretending to be a liberal on an assignment.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>It seems it\u2019s a tough life to be an anti-woke, common sense talking rightie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To be completely honest, the echo chamber absolutely stank of uncertainty. The racist nostalgia revealed an insecurity about their position in the modern world, and hustle culture brought a feeling of autonomy to people who increasingly despair about the limited opportunities within the economy and the rising cost of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
MAGDA<\/strong> lover of all things film and theatre, takes a deep dive into the land of left-wing memes – reinforcing the idea that we are the good guys and we are always right!<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\nAs someone who already considers themselves left-leaning, I wasn\u2019t expecting my social media feed to change all that much when setting out to do this challenge. At first, I wasn\u2019t entirely wrong. A lot of what I saw felt familiar \u2013 people speaking out against injustice, venting about the state of the world, calling for action. A political meme here and there. The main difference was volume, but that was to be expected \u2013 I had deliberately followed accounts that align with left-wing politics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I scrolled. I liked a couple videos. I followed more accounts. And then something shifted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
On my regular feed, I didn\u2019t see right-wing content at all \u2013 but I did see criticism of both the left and the right. I assumed it\u2019s because I didn\u2019t typically engage much with political content, so the algorithm didn\u2019t think I cared. Instead, it fed me pop culture, film reviews and stupid memes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
The moment the algorithm realised I did <\/em>care about politics, it went all in. And what did it do with that information? Memes. Thirst traps of Dean Withers. Edits of Kamala Harris with the caption, \u201cshe\u2019s so relatable.\u201d And, of course, conspiracy theories. I saw a three-minute video discussing whether M*sk tweeting 14 American flags in response to Tr*mp meant we should prepare for the end of the world. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\nThe more I engaged with political content, the more my For You Page abandoned any semblance of nuance or critical thinking. And that\u2019s terrifying. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conclusion<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nAt face value, we are politically divided. And algorithms and echo chambers make this division a whole lot worse. From our research, these divided viewpoints are pitted against each other, antagonizing fears and removing important nuances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While this might all seem too overwhelming, there is light. Professor Lawall warns against fatalism towards echo chambers and political polarization. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere are things we can do to disrupt these more homogenous social networks,\u201d she explains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her research showed that just a 20-minute conversation over Zoom with a stranger with an opposing viewpoint can positively change your opinion of them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even more positively: \u201cWe’re quite confident that maybe if you did something like this in real life, it would have, it should have even stronger effects.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, if that\u2019s the case, next time you\u2019re confronted with an old codger with questionable opinions, take a seat next to him and have a chat. Understand the people around you in society, and DITCH<\/em> the temptation to stick to your own echo chamber.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow to break out of YOUR echo <\/strong>chamber<\/h4>\n\n\n\nDiversify your feed<\/strong>: Follow accounts with different viewpoints, engage critically.<\/h4>\n\n\n\nSeek long-form content<\/strong>: Podcasts, books, journalism that go beyond TikTok soundbites.<\/h4>\n\n\n\nPractice scepticism<\/strong>: Interrogate why an algorithm is showing you certain content. Speak to people!! <\/strong>On the train, in the pub, on the sh!tter – whatever it takes to engage with someone outside of your usual community.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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