We had a good day at home getting ready for spring. We cleaned the front entrance way to make way for the storm windows.. We then took down the storms and packed them away. All of a sudden the outside feels and sounds closer. .. It was funny taking down the windows on a cold day with the fire going.. but so it is in Vermont. This week it’s going to be in the 70’s already !

We got a run in with the dogs.. and had a good talk on politics as we ran. Like  many folks, we’re really concerned about he growing divide in this country. The politicians we elected are not the cause.. but rather a symptom ..of that divide.  I think this is a really improtant distinction … because to address a problem.. you really need to know what problem you are trying to solve..
We were thinking about why the divide was so deep and growing so quickly. My theory  is that it’s the media… on all sides.. Never before in human hostory have we been able to select what we listen to and whom we connect with so precisely. It has it’s pluses..  For example , We  can find folks who share our  weird hobbies like making high voltage machines.. .. and we can self select for the news and views we choose to here. Before the advent of cable tv, web 2.0 and social media, media providers generally couldn’t afford to specialize too much for fear of alienating viewers.  and therefore alienating advertisers   This caused  media.. print, radio , tv to keep closer to the center .. with views on both sides of issues..  Now , with digitally targeted advertising, it’s actually is better for advertisers when people identify their preferences by what they watch and read. This allows folks to seek out news/views that confirm and strengthen the views they already have.. OK.. no big new insight there..

But the ah-ha moment for me was the analogy with biological systems.. when genetic populatins are allowed to segregate and reproduce.. they tend to quickly amplify certain distinguishing  features .. eg.. thats why so many ashkenazi jews like me look like me., have wired hair like me.. . and have high math SAT scores.  🙂 .. but these same amplifications also generally weaken a population and make them more prone to defects, illness, etc… The  closer the population, the weaker the gene line becomes.  Diversity is not just the spice  of life.. it’s essential to the long term health of a species…    Its exactly the same for our thinking. our increasingly segmented  media is actually making us weaker.  By allowing us to selectively ignore other ways of thinking.. whatever our views.. .. we amplify our differences..Ths allows us to accept more extreme thinking as ‘normal’   and reduce our ability  to adapt mentally to new ideas and new realities.

OK.. maybe not that profound but to me it was a moment of new awareness.

something  to think  about…. . but then again… only if you agree with my thinking 🙂

nite all, nite sam

-me