One of the best pieces of advice given to us, at any age or at any time in our lives, is to avoid forming toxic relationships and leaving behind connections that are no longer bringing us a sense of peace. However, when that toxic relationship is between what we see on our screens and what is occurring in the world around us, it becomes nearly impossible to leave the toxicity behind.
Our country has seen a change in its political climate in recent decades. There is extreme polarization between the major political parties and division when it comes to almost every leading issue in America. On top of this, we are living in the world’s most technologically advanced society, right in the middle of the digital age. Not only do we have the news and tabloids spreading information, but individuals across all social media platforms have joined the world of politics. Information has never been easier to access, but the online space is just as divided as the world around us.
Social media has been our toxic partner we cannot seem to break-up with since it was introduced to us. Whether we like to admit it or not, socials consume our lives and have altered our attention spans, our worldview, and our abilities to connect with other individuals. When politics is introduced to these platforms, the relationship goes from rocky to toxic in seconds. The intentions behind the relationship may be positive–educating individuals who may not have access to other resources, finding others who share our same opinions, and having meaningful conversations regarding issues that affect our lives. Negative intentions can also be behind the content we view, which can lead to further toxicity within our connection with others and politics as a whole.
The green flags are present, but when those red flags are red, it changes everything. Educating ourselves from users on social platforms is risky because we never know if the information we are receiving is accurate. Anyone can post anything on social media, no fact check or sources necessary. We could be reading one post, thinking it is accurate and truthful, when in reality there is no logical basis behind their argument. Information can be just as harmful as beneficial–one person posts something of nonsense, someone else believes it and spreads it, and before we know it, an entire community has formed an opinion surrounding false claims and knowledge. When false information is continously spread, it becomes difficult to figure out the reality of a situation or a specific issue.
Within the spread of false information comes the danger of creating negative outlooks on certain political figures or a party as a whole. Everyone is subject to their own opinions and is allowed to hold whatever belief they would like to. However, the power behind social media is that these opinions are easily spread among communities and inflicted onto others. These opinions may be centered around biased topics, or personal values, and while they are important to an individual, they are not always beneficial for overarching communities. As social media has become more present in our political world we are seeing hatred and digital violence towards politics. It is not only geared towards political figures, but a toxic environment has been created when it comes to communication with individuals of differing opinions. We have seen more judgement and hatred in the digital space towards those we disagree with, not only preventing connections, but creating further division and an inability to understand opposing opinions.
If we see the toxicity and its impact on individuals and communities, why are we not breaking up with social media in a political context? It is much easier said that done to step away from the digital world, especially when it has become a leading form of information and communication. Everything in our society has turned digital, and if we do break up with social media, there could be a lapse in the amount of knowledge and news we receive. In order to prevent a further toxic cycle, it is important to ensure that we are better able to filter through everything we are seeing online.
Acknowledging when a source is opinion-based or factual is step one to curating a healthier relationship with social media and politics. Opinions can be beneficial when we are aware that it is not someone citing direct facts, and we use them as a basis to further our knowledge. Also, stepping away from social media when it becomes too overwhelming helps to create a boundary with certain platforms and content creators. We may not be able to break up with social media, but we can put up our barriers and ensure we are working to create the peace we all need.
