A social quandary

I’ve often heard the adage that one must never discuss such off-putting topics as religion, politics, or sports at the dinner table. That adage has, of course, been levied as appropriate for any social interactions, be it at the dinner table or in the broader world of social media.

I used to subscribe to this idea, and still do for social business. After all, when it comes to business, professionalism is tantamount and none of those topics really have place for discussion in business dealings. However, I am starting to question the validity of such a phrase in personal relations. Are we to hide our head and ignore a deep undercurrent of cultural shifts simply because we don’t want to rock the boat or engage in passionate discussion?

I know of some people recently who have begun to filter out any religion or politics from their feeds on social sites, while I also know of others who actively seek out people to follow whom hold conflicting or opposite views as themselves in an effort. But I’m conflicted. There are days when I want to bury my head in the sand and forget that not everyone thinks like I do, to ignore the strife and arguments, and live in my cozy world of denial… and then there are other days in which I want to shout from the mountaintops and help steer a cultural/social shift to what I believe is the right way of thinking; to fight for progress and demand the change we need for fear of losing our humanity to cultural implosion.

I’ve been sharing a few sociopolitical posts recently, but in doing so realize that I am likely sharing with people whom already share similar views or opinions, as I generally surround myself with like-minded people. So, in effect, I am preaching to the choir and the people I want to reach will never read, nor likely understand what I share. It puts me in an echo-chamber, or a vacuum of social sharing at times, which really just equates to mental masturbation whenever I share something I believe to be provocative and progressive.

While social media has done wonders for us to engage in these conversations and raise visibility to problematic ways of thinking, it also has a dark side of deep judgment and polarizing effects when passions rise. To this end, I try to retain as many of my network connections as I can, regardless of their socio-political views, as I do believe that being open to seeing opposing views is a great thing and can only serve to improve me as a person. Insulating myself to only those people around me who agree, makes for a silo-ed existence devoid of growth and understanding.

What I strive for (and often fall short of) in my own life both on-line and off, is a balance. To think critically about any questions posed, any statements made, to ask questions with respect and desire to learn, and to take personal responsibility for both my words and my actions. Can you imagine how the adage would change if we all worked to think critically and take personal responsibility? No longer would sports, politics, or religion be taboo at the dinner tables or social gatherings, instead perhaps, they’d be welcome topics driving growth and understanding rather than the divisive and polarizing realms in which they currently exist.

I have a lot more rumbling around in my head here; So many recent events are tied so deeply and complexly together at their roots, that touching on one without acknowledging others is a disservice to truth and will only serve to cause more of the same cultural divide, the polarizing us/them/this/that false dichotomies that I so desperately wish to avoid. Yet, they are so complex in and of themselves that each could be a thesis of their own.