You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more
1/One of the most wrongheaded and persistent ideas floating around on social media is the idea of an "intellectual bubble".
2/Stated simply, this is the idea that if you block or ignore people with opposing views, you will live in an echo chamber of confirmation bias.
In fact, the opposite might be true.
(This insight is due to @jesseXjesse, I should mention).
3/The reason this is wrong is that people - including smart people - don't think about issues reasonably. We think tribally.https://www.vox.com/2014/4/6/5556462/brain-dead-how-politics-makes-us-stupid …
4/When we fail to curate the views we take in, we are naturally and automatically overexposed to the most strident, extremist, unreasonable representatives of the opposing tribe. http://noahpinionblog.blogspot.com/2017/06/the-shouting-class.html …
5/But if I curate my feed by blocking or ignoring the most strident/aggressive/unreasonable members of the opposing tribe, it's a lot easier to listen to the REASONABLE people from that tribe.
6/Let's take a concrete example.
Suppose I didn't block Nazis.
In that case, it might be a lot harder to listen to reasonable conservatives like @DouthatNYT or @lymanstoneky, because I might mistakenly assume they were on the same "team" as the Nazis.
7/In fact, when I look back at my early years on Twitter, I see myself making EXACTLY this mistake - raging at moderate conservatives, traditionalists, or libertarians. Then I started blocking Nazis, and it got a LOT easier to listen to differing perspectives.
8/In other words, blocking extremists doesn't CREATE an intellectual bubble. It PREVENTS intellectual bubbles. TRIBALISM is what creates bubbles.
9/Therefore, in order to keep an open mind, I urge you to either block or ignore all extremists from tribes you aren't part of. Doing so will allow the moderate, reasonable voices of that tribe to reach your ears. And you will gain a more balanced worldview. (end)
Oh, and always remember: Mute is for your own peace of mind. Block is to protect your readers and improve the quality of the discussion in your feed.
Potential future Nazi or similar interlocutors can use this against you. Luring you into discussions with reasonable sounding bait, only later pouncing, when you are exhausted and your logical patience over extended.
But who cares if they do? :-)
You do. Because you are trying to filter and fend off extremists, and get out with your sanity. But actually any one of us could turn out to be your future nemesis.
My sanity? Waaaaaaay too late for that, hoss. I'm trying to get out with YOUR sanity.
Wait I never claimed that Mott and Bailey tactics were effective. You're misrepresenting me and putting words in my mouth. What I said was that the internet was dangerous. [This one needs work].
This is a very interesting thread... RT @Noahpinion: 1/One of the most wrongheaded and persistent ideas floating around on social media is the idea of an "intellectual bubble".
If you use quote-tweet, they can follow the thread to the rest of the tweets! :-)
Was a good thread. I actually proactively try to find/follow people that I may actively disagree with. It's good perspective. But as you note, I "aim high" in following quality. And block those who add no value at all.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.
