"Unbiased Reporting;" Does Such a Thing Even EXIST?

Maybe it's just because I'm an old fart with a long memory, but it seems to me — no, really — that the world is becoming more and more polarized and intolerant.

Polarized in opinion, polarized in politics, polarized in belief systems, polarized financially. It's like the middle is slowly disappearing... and if you believe in "balance" and "moderation" you are often dismissed as a "spinless wimp" who "doesn't stand for anything."

When did we get so rabid about things?

Fall leaves...

Clearly, I am an Idiot!

And when did everyone who disagrees suddenly become not only against us, but also the immediate subject of relegation to the ranks of "idiot?"

I remember plenty of times when I didn't see something about the world the way someone else did... and we'd discuss that. We'd have discourse. It might not be *productive," but at least it tended to be courteous and repsectful.

But now? Now I'm "stupid" and "an idiot."

At other times, what I say is in alignment with some people's thoughts... and then I am somehow a "model" and "spokesperson" for that belief set.

Wait a minute!

I'm just "some guy" with some ideas I'm sharing!

Winter...

The Internet and Filter Bubbles

In many ways, I blame the Internet for the lack of unbiased reporting we see these days, as well as the whole "fake news" phenomenon.

From which you can probably tell that I don't believe there is such a thing as "Unbiased Reporting." In fact, these days, I think "spin" is probably more important than actual "content." Because "agreement" seems more important than "information."

"Confirmation Bias" is a pretty common human construct. In short, we "believe" something to be true, so we tend to look for confirmation that this piece of our reality does — indeed — hold true.

Of course, some will argue that if something is a "fact," then it's not a belief. I'll counter that this may be true of questions like *"what's the current temperature," but it can't be applied to things that are ultimately matters of opinion.

Perhaps we seek support for the idea that man made global warming is real. Or support for the idea that it is not real.

Most likely, we will be able to find support — if not outright evidence — that both of these are true.

But our bias — that is, our need to establish our OWN perceived reality as "true" — tends to filter out that which contradicts what we are seeking support for.

Spiderweb with tiny dewdrops

We've probably always done this, but the Internet and immediate access to a wealth of information has thrown some new wrinkles into the equation.

"Filter Bubbles" is that "thing" that caused many of us here on Steemit to leave Facebook: A programmed algorithm — driven by machine learning — serves us only content that supports our preferences. Soon enough, we end up sitting inside a bubble where the only thing we're exposed to is people, opinions and products that "support" the viewpoints and choices aforesaid machine learning has gleaned from thousands and thousands of clicks and choices we make every year.

Filter Bubbles... Intolerance and Polarity

I became most acutely aware of of the "Filter Bubble Issue" during the 2016 US Presidential Election campaigns.

On Facebook — especially — I only seemed able to get one side of the story. If I would read an opinion piece by a liberal commentator, and then would want to read something on the same topic by a conservative commentator... all I seemed able to get was criticism of the conservative viewpoint... not the actual opinion.

I couldn't just get straight information, I could only get opinion.

So what does this have to do with polarity of opinion and my being "an idiot?"

More fall leaves

Well, when you spend a lot of time inside an echo chamber of opinions that happen to support your own belief system, you soon enough start seeing "differing viewpoints" as strange and twisted "outliers" rather than simply... differing viewpoints.

And it becomes increasingly easy to vilify anyone who disagrees with you, because you can whip up a storm of supportive voices for your own perception in a manner of seconds.

In no time, strange intellectual witch hunts replace simply being a well-informed individual. And Unbiased Reporting — when doesn't really care about your personal filter bubble — get removed from the equation.... because there's really nothing in "the facts" to have a witch hunt over.

Which is really pretty boring compared to crucifying someone on the cross of idiocy because they don't think like you!

Thanks for reading!

Comments, feedback and other interaction is invited and welcomed! Because — after all — SOCIAL content is about interacting, right? Leave a comment-- share your experiences-- be part of the conversation!

(As usual, all text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is original content, created expressly for Steemit)
Created at 190212 01:15 PST
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