What social media really teaches us
The cultivation of social media has brought an equal amount of good and evil to society. It is a platform on steroids, a plethora of new ideas, beliefs and perspectives. It has redefined right and wrong. There is no right or wrong, just persuasion surrounded by propaganda. What the left deems immoral the right deems just, and vice versa. Abortion is a good example of this. Everyone has different views and perspectives on what abortion even means and justifies their beliefs through news articles or whatever news article they can find.
No one seems to ask questions, “Why do you feel this way?” but rather make statements, “You are wrong because … ” The use of Socratic questioning can be powerful. Maybe this is just for common sense issues, such as treating people with respect, not being racist and the many more things we as a society can agree upon without discussion. But it isn’t the obvious that brings confusion, but the idea of illusion that brings confusion. For example, it is not wrong to support a man one feels is innocent, as it is not wrong to oppose the same man for believing he is guilty, at face value at least. Deep discussions must be held; especially if it is clear two people don’t understand one another. It is when an individual ignores proof, evidence, the obvious, when they choose not to understand someone, that they should be dismissed, for it is the open-minded people of the world that we must converse with. A closed mind is a mind that is locked, and you don’t have the key to open it.
Social media can teach you about new ideas, thoughts and perspectives.
Yes, both the left and the right share differing opinions on many issues, but both sides have things in common. Most people for example are working class citizens and could benefit from similar economic ideas that help the middle/lower class. It is our jobs as citizens to have discussions as a whole, rather than polarized within parties.
There is no right or wrong, just persuasion surrounded by propaganda.
The moral of the story: social media can teach you about new ideas, thoughts and perspectives. It doesn’t teach you how to converse with someone different than you or how to understand how someone thinks. But if the individual can figure this out, social media will become a platform where people will learn more than they could ever imagine, an agora of ideas to be shared, understood and discussed. Do not silence the person who asks questions; silence the one who is not willing to answer those questions.