Choosing Option C
Think of any hot button issue, and you'll hear essentially two sides. Abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, the economy, racism, you name it. As Americans, we tend to fall on either side of an issue. As I've gotten older, more involved in politics, and consumed more media, it's required me to reflect on how many of my views are my own. How have my beliefs been molded by my media consumption? Do I actually believe what I think I do?
As I'm sure is surprising to no one, I would consider myself a self-identified liberal. It's important to note that I grew up more conservative and later, after developing a sense of self in college, leaning much further to the left. Learning who I am requires constantly reevaluating what identity looks like. It requires separating myself from the labels that define so much of society.
For most people, our political alignment says a lot about how we interact with the world. The people I talk to, live around, and the media I consume are determined by a single word. We're increasingly put into boxes by the algorithms on our phones, and a lot of times, I wonder if it's going to bite us in the ass.
In my senior year of high school, my senior project was on media framing. For those unfamiliar, it's a term describing how the media uses specific phraseology, images, and sentiments to give us a particular interpretation of a story. A great example is a tool from The Wall Street Journal called Blue Feed, Red Feed. It provides excellent visualization of how we consume different narratives day in and day out. Social media and Google are 90% of why polarization has gotten so bad in the United States. Still, just as important is how we create narratives around the "other" in our groups.
No one wants to be seen as an extremist. As we live more and more online, though, the views that we hold continue to be molded by computer algorithms more potent than any media company. The Social Dilemma gives an excellent insight into the size and power of the issues we're facing online.
The pandemic has even played out this way. If I'm only consuming left-leaning media, the world is ending, and I should never go outside. If I'm only consuming right-leaning media, COVID isn't an issue, and I shouldn't be worried at all. I'm learning that the sweet spot is somewhere between the two stories I've been told.
Call it Option C. Whatever story I'm hearing, I'm given a false dichotomy of options. There's always a third option. We're consistently consuming media in our own echo chambers, creating one-sided arguments. Realistically, very few issues are as black and white as we want to believe.
I struggle with consuming media that I disagree with. I listen to a daily news rundown every morning. I intentionally include news outlets (Fox News) that I wouldn't listen to. Regardless of whether or not I agree with the reporting, I can see a different viewpoint. I've also started following an organization called Ground News, which shows the political ideology of reporting on a news story. Ground News has opened my eyes to not only blindspots that I have on the left but also the kind of news that doesn't land on the right.
Finding a middle ground with any sort of story can be really difficult. It requires me to have an open mind on issues that I feel I have a strong opinion. In the long run, I'm learning that I can better argue my viewpoint when I can see the other side or hear the position presented. Being a person of integrity requires me to listen. It requires me to learn the intention of others regardless of whether I agree.
Polarization makes us feel alone. It prevents us from connecting with people we perceive as "different." Democracy requires compromise, and I'd choose compromise over being right any day.