Politics: Everyone's Favorite Dinner Time Conversation Topic

 Today, we're talking about politics. If you're like me, you're squirming in your seat right now—possibly hesitant to scroll. You might be wondering if you should be prepared to roll your eyes and quietly find another blog or gear up to defend your opinions.

Hopefully, you will be pleasantly surprised that this is the easiest political conversation you've ever had. Today, we're going to discuss social media's impact on political conversations, looking at where we've fallen short and how to improve while moving forward.

Like many topics relating to social media, the effect is in the hands of the user. Some use social media to responsibly engage with the political world. Others, however, might be perpetuating and contributing to widespread issues.

One issue is bias created by social media engagement. People tend to follow creators they like who produce content they enjoy. This seeps into the way we interact with political content. However, this leads to bias confirmation. As we consume content affirming our perspectives, we begin to solidify our understanding of things and tend to become resistant to alternative ideas over time. If Democrats follow only left-leaning politicians and political news accounts, they are affirming their leanings and skewing further and further left. If Republicans shut out information from the democrats, they might miss out on good points. In society, we discuss the issue of being engaged in a bipartisan culture, where the divide between parties is great. Have we stopped to consider if social media is contributing to this issue?

What is your experience with this? I myself am not beyond fault. My tendency is to avoid politics like the plague. I do not enjoy them! This is certainly reflected in my social media. I do not follow any politicians or political accounts and tend to mute friends or family who are very vocal about their political opinions. This creates an issue when it comes time for me to vote or engage in a conversation on real issues in this world. Without sources to draw from, I need to rely on pure instinct. I know this is not the best way to go. I am curious how this unfolds for my readers. Are you engaged in politics in your social media? If no, why not? If yes, are you leaning into biases? What is the culture of politics and social media in everyday lives?

So, what is the right way to go? We've talked a lot about the less desirable tendencies of our use of social media. Now, let's look at some ways to move forward:

1. Follow a variety of accounts (we're talking both parties here people—and the ones in between)

If we want to cultivate a healthy relationship with politics on our social media accounts, it is important to be consuming information from a variety of sources. Are we so stuck in our ways that we will miss out on supporting a good candidate simply because of their party alliance. I certainly do not want to be that way! If I lean one way, yet an individual on the 'other side' has an incredible policy idea, I do not want to be so narrow minded that I miss my chance to support them and their policies. Challenge your biases and use your social medias responsibly!

2. Consume political information

Look, I'm the pot calling the kettle black on this one. I promise, my aim is not to be hypocritical. On the contrary, my goal is to point out my own shortcomings and encourage others who share in my faults to join me on the path of bettering them! A perfect first step towards positive political engagement in social media is simply engaging. Follow accounts, seek out information, read, and watch! The very idea of this makes me uncomfortable. I do not like to engage in political conversations, even as a fly on the wall. But, I want to value vital knowledge more than comfort. You too should join me in this!

3.  Participate responsibly

My generation has a reputation of being political bandwagons. And, I wonder if there is some validity to that. In my experience, individuals in my generations have a tendency to have strong opinions they are not afraid to voice, and they voice them quickly. If you are feeling offended right now, please know that this certainly does not describe all of Gen Z. Additionally, if you are feeling offended right now, consider if this is calling you out! My claim is not to begome a generation that is silent on politics. My only ask is that we become responsible voices. Know the issue from a variety of angles, be open to new ideas, and share with respect! Can you image how interesting it would be to discuss politics if we used this framework in our conversations? Politics could be more like art than war. In war, there are two sides, each viewing their own as right, attempting to overpower the other. Honestly, that sounds like an average political conversation to me. But art—that is a beautiful conversation. You and I are looking at the same abstract piece: a collection of red and yellow strokes and shapes. You see passion and energy, yet I see angst and fire. Is one more right than the other? Is one more effective than the other? Policical conversations could be like museum conversations. "I see this issue in this way," I say to you, eager to hear how our persepctives interact. "I view it this other way," you reply. We engage in a conversations on our similarities and differences, content with our differences and open to our thoughts being shaped by the others. This is responsible political conversation.

The relationship between politics and social media has a way to go, but there are simple and immediate steps we can take to better it. What steps do you see?