People are always banging on about the adverse effects of social media, and some of these effects are rumoured to lead to a sense of social exclusion. Personally, were I housebound, I rather think Facebook et al would be a pretty good at keeping me feeling included, but that may just be me.
The latest shock horror story came last week when researchers at Boston University claimed that Facebook in particular makes us more narrow minded, because we tend to hook up with groups who share our views, and it all becomes a bit of an echo chamber reinforcing what we already believe.
This is patently untrue at a macro level, because if it were true then trolling would be non-existent. But let’s look at it from a personal microviewpoint. Let’s take me.
I’m an atheist, as are some of my friends. My correspondent (and ex father in law) was a dean at St Alban’s Cathedral. Lots of others I know are Christians of varying degrees of devotion. I also know at least one Wiccan, a couple of Pagans, several Mormons, some with Jewish faith, at least one Hindu, and a couple of Moslems. I’ll talk to anybody. I’m on passing terms with a couple of JoHos. Name anybody else who can say that. I dare you. I doubledare you.
I’m a scientist by inclination, education, training, and experience. My friends contain a number of conspiracy theorists (including one who is convinced that the White House is orchestrating the bloodbath in Syria and Iraq), chemtrail believers, a whole slew of UFO nuts, Sasquatch enthusiasts…
Then there are the clean eaters. I have other friends who actually believe the twaddle about superfoods. Those who reckon that ginger or turmeric are more effective than chemotherapy for cancer. The latest missive from one of my fringe believers reckons frankincense is a viable anticancer agent. She’s also the one promulgating the White House connection to Daesh, and an ardent antivaxer. She’s a nice person but completely loopy, yet I still read her and correspond with her. Every now and then we actually agree, but it’s not often.
Not too surprisingly I know a lot of writers, and some of them work in genres I won’t touch with a bargepole. I work in genres some of them won’t touch either, but we’re still mates.
Waitresses, bar staff, restaurateurs, people in advertising, people who work in shipping, shop assistants, bell captains, drivers, financiers, and layabouts like myself all fall under my umbrella. And we often fight like cat and dog.
If you convince me I’m wrong, I’ll fess up and admit it. In order to do that, I’m going to have to listen to an opinion that differs from mine. There are lots of them I can assure you. But I should warn my friends who are into firearms that you’ll never convince me open carry is a damned good idea. Just saying.
nobodysreadingme 
Loved the article. Agree with you on all levels especially re the gun situation in the States. Since Obama was able to make universal Medicare available to many in his country, a number of my US friends are still vehementally apposed. As a Canuck I can’t understand their selfishness and have gotten into vehement arguments.
Some claim that violent videos don’t affect our youth, but what other thing in our environement has made such disastrous inroads into the behavior of the many homegrown terrorists in the States. Their people’s fear is palpable and it keeps mounting. Even my country is feeling it, otherwise, why won’t I visit many of the states I used to do years ago. Fortunately, I live in a huge country with diverse cultures, a country that encourages immigrants to be proud and maintain their unique culture and never feel they have to meld and lose it. This is the complete opposite to what is required and demanded of them in the States. We are not a melting pot, and that I feel Is the greatest difference with our respective countries. You are welcome to disagree.
What’s made the the place dangerous isn’t video games or films. I’m a huge fan of Tarantino, but I’ve never shot anybody. If you think it’s your godgiven right to carry a gun, then the corollary is it’s your godgiven right to shoot people. Nowhere does the Second Amendment say you have the right to blow away 20 odd people in a cinema because you don’t like Mondays.
Culture? I’ll disagree with you here. When I used to go abroad a lot, even as a visitor, I made a conscious effort to adapt to local cultures. I think if you live in a country you have migrated to, you’re honour bound to make an effort to fit in. I’m not talking about changing religion, but about a simple, and polite, acceptance it’s a new place, people behave differently, and it may not please you but them’s the rules.
Where I lived in my teens, I had friends from Poland, Lithuania, and Austria. The guy next door was Polish, opposite there was a household of Jamaicans flanked by two households of Indians. The local butcher was halal, and the corner shop was run by a Bangladeshi family. We all got on just fine. The ONLY time I ever had to flee for my life was from a band of white skinheads.
As in the US right now, the trouble was mainly homegrown. But in the US you can carry guns pretty much wherever you like, including mental institutions.
Loved the article. Agree with you on all levels especially re the gun situation in the States. Since Obama was able to make universal Medicare available to many in his country, a number of my US friends are still vehementally apposed. As a Canuck I can’t understand their selfishness and have gotten into vehement arguments.
Some claim that violent videos don’t affect our youth, but what other thing in our environement has made such disastrous inroads into the behavior of the many homegrown terrorists in the States. Their people’s fear is palpable and it keeps mounting. Even my country is feeling it, otherwise, why won’t I visit many of the states I used to do years ago. Fortunately, I live in a huge country with diverse cultures, a country that encourages immigrants to be proud and maintain their unique culture and never feel they have to meld and lose it. This is the complete opposite to what is required and demanded of them in the States. We are not a melting pot, and that I feel Is the greatest difference with our respective countries. You are welcome to disagree.
I lived in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, for many years, and their claim to fame is that the city is the most diverse culturally in North America. I doubt it would compare as good with major cities in Europe.
Doesn’t matter. It’s not full of Trumps
Oh, we do disagree a lot, don’t we. But only on fringe themes like cars. Or when you are wrong .. 😛
I hate to say it (you know I am lying here,I love it ) because it indirectly implicates my former retired from profession, but, the yappers who yap, about the breakdown in entirely wonderful human connection brought about by the advent of the internet and it’s nerd friendly format, are the people who make money from ‘helping’ people get along with people,at cocktail parties, dinner parties, compulsory meetings, inadvertant neighborhoods, educational, business/any institution, and such ad iinfinitum, ad nauseum.
God save them all..
These events cause many people to go slowly and slightly crazy over time.
So the ability to avoid them, via social media, makes a whole bunch of shrinks, who specialize in “human interaction” somewhat underemployed.
That of course is just my well educated shrinkly opinion.
You know Mormons? Obviously they are everywhere and I know some well too.
But no non-Mormom ever really knows a Mormon.
You forgot the scientologists, note the non-caps. They are entrenched in the UK, note the caps.
It is always good to hear from you,clever, thinking one, and even better to come over and read a post.
Be well~
The Mormons I know are not your average Mormons. They vote Democrat for one thing, and think Obama is the best thing since sliced bread