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Don’t Just Read Writers You Agree With
Stay out of Echo Chambers and Information Silos
Too many Americans remain in their comfort zones. They know what they like, what they want, and how they feel — and they seek out products, services, and information that feed those appetites and reinforce their worldview.
Anything or anyone that might upset their equilibrium or push them out of their comfort zone is ignored, downplayed, canceled, blocked, or bitterly denounced.
According to a University of Chicago analysis of online news and commentary consumption, minimal exposure to opposing perspectives is a major factor driving political polarization in the United States.
A 2014 report from the Pew Research Center observed that “When it comes to getting news about politics and government, liberals and conservatives inhabit different worlds.” So it’s not new. But it does appear to be getting worse.
I’m just scratching the surface. There are many such studies and analyses I could cite. Make no mistake. The problem is real. Most Americans read and listen exclusively or primarily to news sources and commentators they are predisposed to trust and agree with. And that means…
“We have a problem with confirmation bias in society. People tend to want to hear things that confirm…
