Division is Deliberate
How selective information and fear keep us divided and why it works
If you ask either side, many will swear it’s the other doing all of the terrorizing, and that everyone is a hypocrite who applauds the death of their enemies. It’s just not true. I, for example, also see hypocrisy on the left, even though I’m one of those purported Radical Left-Wing Lunatics (™ DJT – the Great Uniter).
The fact is that you can’t demonize an entire group of people based on the actions of a few, but it benefits those in power to keep us divided, so they stoke the flames to generate fear responses and certain behaviors, like voting against your own best interests. The people who get hurt along the way are just collateral damage.
A big part of the problem is that information has become so sequestered that not everyone is exposed to all sides of the story. The algorithms on social media are designed to show you more of what you like and less or none of what you don’t, so you may never know that trans people are not committing most of the mass shootings, which is a frequent claim of the right every time one of these tragedies occurs. Don’t even get me started on Alex Jones.
If you get your news primarily from Fox and other right-wing sources, you never hear the truth about the horrific things Trump says and does—just justifications for it. You would ground your own children for life if they behaved that way. I see more complete reporting of inconvenient truths from left-wing sources, but again, that’s not universal. It was the left that drove Biden out, for example, but few on the right will criticize Trump. There is a saying that reality has a liberal bias.
We need to open our minds and consider information that doesn’t confirm what we already believe to be true. Be open to new evidence and willing to change our views when warranted by the facts. Read things we don’t agree with and research opposing views in good faith, and not just to prove what we think we already know.
There is a way through this, but only if everyone does their part.
—Sweeney the Genie
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