The Digital Divide: How Social Media is Splitting Us Apart

I was a teenager in the 80s, a time marked by quirky neighbors and simpler interactions. I didn't think much about my neighbors back then, but looking back, they certainly added color to my adolescence.

Take Ernie, for instance. He had some grandiose ideas that might have seemed odd to others, but he was a genuinely nice guy. Always ready to lend a hand, his eccentricities never really bothered me. I would only run into Ernie occasionally during my evening walks, and our brief encounters were always pleasant.

Five houses down from us lived a very religious family. They were devout to the point of abstaining from coffee and television, considering them sinful. The three women in the household—the grandmother, mother, and daughter—never wore makeup, yet they exuded warmth and kindness. The grandmother often shared Bible stories with me, tales that have stayed with me over the years. They would preach their beliefs during my walks, but it was never overbearing.

A house before these religious ladies lived a family from Japan. The father, who had fought in World War II, was mentally scarred from his experiences and often screamed at us, because we used to play in front of his house. I guess the noise we were making bothered him. We neighborhood kids found their evening rituals fascinating. Every day around 6 pm, they would honor their ancestors with chants and offerings of food on small plates.

Reflecting on those times, I realize how vastly different the world is today with the advent of social media. Back then, quirks and eccentricities were local phenomena, confined to our immediate surroundings. However, social media has amplified the reach of these eccentricities, giving people with extreme views a platform to connect and reinforce each other's beliefs on a global scale.

This interconnectedness has created echo chambers where radical ideas can thrive unchecked. People who share similar extreme views find validation and support, often leading to the spread of misinformation and heightened polarization. The rapid dissemination of information, regardless of its accuracy, has become a significant issue. Those who fail to critically evaluate their sources can easily spread false information, further fueling division and misunderstanding.

In the 80s, our interactions were grounded in face-to-face encounters, where differing opinions and beliefs were more likely to be tempered by personal relationships and community bonds. Today, the digital landscape has transformed how we communicate and perceive the world, often prioritizing sensationalism over truth. This shift has contributed to a more divided and fragmented society, where the noise of misinformation can drown out genuine, constructive dialogue.

Those were good times. There was a sense of simplicity and authenticity in our interactions, something that's hard to come by in today's digital age.