Step 2: Drop Social Media

Now that the election is over we can all finally exhale and celebrate the fact that we have completed step number one in returning to some semblance of sanity. But the reality is that this is only the beginning of the road. Things aren't going to become "normal" magically overnight or after inauguration day. We all have friends or family who still believe in the lies, the rhetoric and the propaganda. So what do we do next? Go offline.

The truth of the matter is that the current state of digital communication just isn't usable for serious conversations like politics, human rights or climate science. There's nuance lost using a keyboard and mouse. There's missed meaning when you can't see the face and eyes of someone. Most importantly there's a lack of understanding when communication is asynchronous and replies are separated by hours and distance. People say things online that they wouldn't say face to face because the ramifications are delayed from the action.

This concept is easy to understand when you receive an all-caps email forward from an older family member with the subject "Re: Re: Re: Re: Proof Obama is a Kenyan!!" The harder thing to accept is that posting an angry article on Facebook from most of the click bait sites is the same thing. No one wants to admit that they are like their crazy boomer uncle, but if you've ever made an angry twitter rant using a meme as your argument then you're essentially forwarding all-caps emails using a slightly newer technology.

What makes it all worse is that the companies that run these platforms don't care enough to help make the content posted on their platforms better. Posting a well researched link from Reuters gets treated just the same as a propaganda filled link from Brietbart. Most likely the Brietbart link will actually be shown more since it's bound to get more clicks. Tech companies are not interested in becoming guardians of facts and truth, they want to sell ads and services. Nothing more.

You don't need to completely give up social media. Use Facebook to share photos of your Halloween party, or use Instagram to show off the sour dough bread you made from scratch. Sharing personal experiences to get closer to others is where these platforms excel. But the world isn't made a better place because you liked a post about Biden winning the election, or put an angry face on a post about ICE throwing children in cages. Telling off a random internet troll that you've never met has never changed a single opinion or helped solve a real world problem. If anything these actions only made things worse as they have entrenched people further and further in their beliefs regardless of if they are based on facts or not.

That doesn't mean that you shouldn't stand up for what you believe in, but do it in real life. Do call BS on a family member who claims that gay marriage should be illegal due to their religious beliefs, but do it when you can be face to face. It still might not change their mind but you can at least try. Who cares if you ruin Thanksgiving dinner.

Do fight back against suppression of science or systemic racism in our society but do it on the ground. March side by side with people who believe in what you do. Write your local, state and federal representatives. Run for office. Use social media platforms to organize and co-ordinate actions but don't treat the platforms as your actions.

To really get things back to a better place we all need to stand up for what's just and for what's right, but we need to use better tools.

*This is a long form post that I said I wasn't going to do on this blog. This is an exception and not the new rule as I plan on following the advice I am giving.