Unless you live in a cave, chances are you’ve witnessed a nasty political debate on Facebook, or rolled your eyes over someone’s candidate choice. Considering the constant stream of social media feeds that we scroll through every hour, it’d be nearly impossible to ignore the upcoming presidential elections. But is this never-ending torrent of videos, headlines, and articles truly good for America’s political system? Some say it creates a more engaged and informed society, but they fail to realize that the constant barrage of partisan information from the media can often do more harm than good.
What’s the problem?
One reason why today’s media is detrimental to our political system is that it perpetuates polarization— in other words, it forces you to take sides. While partisanship has been a part of the U.S. political system for centuries, studies show that Republicans and Democrats have been rapidly growing apart ideologically and socially since the 90s. The Pew Research Center found that “growing numbers of Republicans and Democrats express highly negative views of the opposing party,” and that those feelings of dislike are extending beyond politics and into socio-economic aspects.
It’s no coincidence that this animosity began brewing during the time that political talk shows featuring heated debates (think Crossfire) began to increase in popularity and ratings. These shows perpetuate what is known as an “argument culture;” instead of a calm, rational exchanging of ideas, the shows encourage dramatic and intense faceoffs between opponents who are often at polar ends of the political spectrum.
Unfortunately, psychological studies show that humans prefer to watch an argument over an attempt to find common ground; while you might think it’s easy to avoid gossipy headlines or links that promise suspenseful conflict, we’re psychologically wired to be drawn towards drama.
The undeniable success of these debate shows confirms this phenomenon, and largely contributes to this theatrical divide between parties and candidates. Somewhere along the line, the idea of having a moderate mindset was overshadowed by the extreme opinions at each end of the political spectrum. This creates bad blood between the sides; nowadays, debates consist mostly of representatives from both sides yelling, “I’m right, you’re wrong,” instead of attempting to find common ground.
Another problem with our media is the filter bubble. As media has developed in recent years, it has divided into niches. Think about it– before Bleacher Report existed, you had to check the sports section of your newspaper if you wanted to learn about the scores in a recent event. Rather than Google recent stock market trends and business IPOs, you had to subscribe to Wall Street Journal.
This development is positive in that it saves consumers both time and money. Yet because there’s so much specialization, we now have the power to simply click on what we desire. This alienates us from alternative opinions or fresh ideas. And because humans have an innate desire to confirm their own beliefs, this filter bubble is dangerous. Consciously or not, we prefer to see our own opinions reaffirmed rather than challenged, so we simply click on whatever appeals to our preconceived notions.
What’s at stake?
Media has a huge amount of influence over public opinion. For instance, consider the verbal blows dealt to Marco Rubio by Chris Christie in the 2016 New Hampshire GOP debate. Had the debate not been televised and had news stations refrained from replaying the footage over and over, perhaps the outcome would have been different. But because of the media’s strong influence, the publicizing of Rubio’s debate gaffes tarnished his image; some may even argue that it cost him the debate and the subsequent party nomination. Allowing the media to provide us with all of our information prevents us from thinking independently. As history has shown, media holds the power to drastically change thoughts and opinions if audiences don’t absorb information with a critical eye.
So how can this gash in our political and social system be repaired?
Firstly, it’s important to be mindful. Ask yourself if the video you’re watching is thought-provoking or fight-provoking. Are you reading an article because it contains some new opinions or statistics, or because it confirms your preconceived thoughts? Use your best judgment, and think critically.
Another way to shorten the gap is to consider your sources. What are the political tendencies of the friend who constantly shares links on Facebook? Are you getting your information from a notoriously biased television network? Often, the best way to get accurate information is by reading the same story from multiple sources and piecing it together by yourself. While it may be more time-consuming, it’ll also help you think independently. You can also use fact checking sites such as Politifact, or the New York Times’ Fact Checks of the 2016 Election.
Regardless of your party affiliation– liberal, conservative or somewhere in between– remember to consider these factors while scrolling through social media.