Social media is filled with people who are ‘preaching to the converted’. There is nowhere that this is more evident than in politics and religion. I’m amazed at the blindness with which people spew their ideology.
Basically, what I (mostly) see are two ignorant camps:
1. I don’t care what you think.
2. You don’t think like me, so you are an idiot.
Neither of these deliver a message that comes remotely close to convincing anyone of anything. Neither of these pander to an audience beyond those that already agree with the perspective being shared. Neither of these promote thought or dialogue.
Sure it might feel good. Yes, it’s nice to be in the company of others that completely agree with you. But social media shouldn’t just be about screaming into an echo chamber, and there should be opportunities for dialogue that goes beyond winning a point against a foe whom doesn’t even acknowledge your point.
I keep coming back to the realization that ideas lie on a spectrum, and the reason I keep coming back to this is because most of us don’t sit on the extremes, even if that’s where we argue our points from. We don’t really wish ill of those that oppose our view, we don’t really believe that our neighbours are unneighbourly because they view things differently than us, politically, religiously, or ideologically. Yet that’s what it looks like on social media.
Are you trying to share your view only with people that already agree with you? Or are you trying to share your view with others who think differently? If your answer is the latter, then think about your audience, and share a message they can actually hear.
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David, your argument about ideas reminds me of a piece from a few years ago about tribes.
https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/Blogger-Peer-Review/quotebacks@1/quoteback.js
It’s a bit embarrassing, but I just commented on your post, not reading my last comment to Dave above and shared the same quote. Now, I’m back to correct that. It’s that focus on the process that is so interesting to me. Your quote mentions the ‘blocker who provides an insight to the hurdles’, I had a professor who talked about ‘Running to the resisters’. Most people avoid the resisters, but when we run ‘to’ them, we learn why others might resist, and we can ease the resistance or lower the hurdles before they get too big.
I always enjoy the links you share Aaron, thank you!
Perhaps share a your message in a “way” that they will hear it as well. Too often we display an emotional response to those who hold a different view and our egos emerge blocking any chance of reciprocal understanding. Staying logical and intentional with a genuine will to listen goes a long way in seeking to understand as opposed to seeking to convince.
Wise words Dave! Reminds me of the quote, ‘With one eye on your destination, you only have one eye with which to find the way.’
So true, both about emotions getting in the way, and also the importance of listening to seek understanding (rather than just espousing ideas that do not make sense, or are not heard, by the intended audience).