Insurance experts will tell you that the vast majority of traffic accidents occur within 3 miles of one's home. This is not to say that people are more reckless nearer to their homes. People have more accidents near their homes because that's where they drive the most.
Opinions and our vision of the world, too often, follow the same pattern. We form our opinions based on what we usually read and our closest colleagues and friends -- in other words, the "usual suspects."
This small circle is what I call the "echo chamber." In the echo chamber, perceptions of the world are often distorted -- "groupthink" is not reality. By definition, it cannot be.
Truth is also a victim of this process. Many people claim to tell "the truth" and demand that others do the same. However, what often drives this desire to tell the "truth" is not only to recount facts but also to convince people that our interpretations of those facts should inform their actions. And that's where the "echo chamber" is dangerous.
This blog will explore many of the "echo chamber" assumptions that our "little circle" makes. My goal is to think about ways to get out of the box and enrich our perspectives by hearing others and broadening our take on the world.
I look forward to a healthy and respectful discussion. (If anyone ever reads this!).
Until next time,
AR
Alan very correctly wrote that "what often drives this desire to tell the 'truth' is not only to recount facts but also to convince people that our interpretations of those facts should inform their actions. And that's where the 'echo chamber' is dangerous."
ReplyDeleteAlan, what you have essentially done here with this observation was to throw down the gauntlet. I am taking it up. With your lofty statement you have also put a mirror in front of yourself, and now will have to see how your words and deeds stack up vis-a-vis this creed you so proudly profess.
You shall now be judged by your very own standards. Get ready for a bumpy ride :-)