Polarization

After reading "The Daily We", I was browsing articles on polarization and I came across this cartoon:

While this cartoon is obviously a joke, playing on the word "polarization", it touches on a serious topic, the very same topic that concerns Sunstein: the polarization of our public sphere. I agree with Sunstein; the fact that social groups' ideologies are becoming more extreme through the individualization of media is disturbing. One thing I wish he would have delved into more deeply is the responsibility that falls on our shoulders as the consumers of media. 

Does the current format of news media encourage group polarization? Yes. Does the internet allow for certain groups to become more extreme through deliberation? Absolutely. However, just because technology simplifies the process of polarization does not mean we have to use it for that purpose. The internet makes it extremely easy to communicate only with like minded people and view like minded content, to stay in one's own comfort zone. But we must think about the opportunity we have in that the internet also makes it easy to view opposing views and discuss with opposite minded people (a key component of democracy. Technology has made it increasingly easy for us to engage in democratic debate on a wide variety of topics; all it takes is people challenging themselves to widen their perspectives. 

I do believe that media which blatantly encourages polarization should be held accountable. This accountability, however, should not be the government's duty. Rather, the public should be the ones to make their voice on this topic heard. 

Each generation has had its own challenges in gathering and analyzing media; ours is the challenge of discernment and opposition to polarization. The same technology that encourages polarization also gives us a way to reverse it with easy access to different views. The public has a choice: to remain in its own polarized comfort zone, or to challenge itself, break out, and engage in valuable, democratic discussion.