Loud voices accuse the social media giants’ algorithms for driving division, creating echo chambers, and making it more difficult to consider other perspectives. “Something must be done!” they demand.
Our clicks and attention span are translated into “what interests us.” The algorithms feed individuals with more of what interests them, so they stay on the platform longer, which generates more revenue.
Bottom line: Our default behaviors lead to division and echo chambers, not unity. The algorithms only amplify our default behaviors.
Choosing unity over division requires mature, disciplined, sustained efforts. It’s a choice.
I am overweight and less fit than I should be. I don’t need to read more of my doctor’s brochures on how to lose weight. I can articulate the role of insulin and glucagon hormones in regulating blood sugar, and the metabolic pathways that manage fat storage and release. I know what to do to lose weight but am not doing it consistently.
As for social unity, we are not doing the necessary work, and I’m not sure we collectively know what to do. An old illustration: One hundred pianos tuned to the same tuning fork will all be in tune with each other. Social cohesion and unity likewise require a common tuning fork.
