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 !<\/p>\n
We got a run in with the dogs.. and had a good talk on politics as we ran. Like\u00a0\u00a0many 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. \u00a0I think this is a really improtant distinction … because to address a problem.. you really need to know what problem you are trying to solve..
\nWe were thinking about why the divide was so deep and growing so quickly. My theory\u00a0\u00a0is 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.. \u00a0For example , We \u00a0can find folks who share our\u00a0\u00a0weird 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. \u00a0and therefore alienating advertisers \u00a0 This caused\u00a0\u00a0media.. print, radio , tv to keep closer to the center .. with views on both sides of issues.. \u00a0Now , 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..<\/p>\n
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\u00a0\u00a0features .. eg.. thats why so many ashkenazi jews like me look like me., have wired hair like me.. . and have high math SAT scores.\u00a0\u00a0\ud83d\ude42 .. but these same amplifications also generally weaken a population and make them more prone to defects, illness, etc… The\u00a0\u00a0closer the population, the weaker the gene line becomes.\u00a0\u00a0Diversity is not just the spice\u00a0\u00a0of life.. it’s essential to the long term health of a species… \u00a0 \u00a0Its exactly the same for our thinking. our increasingly segmented\u00a0\u00a0media is actually making us weaker.\u00a0 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’ \u00a0 and reduce our ability\u00a0\u00a0to adapt mentally to new ideas and new realities.<\/p>\n
OK.. maybe not that profound but to me it was a moment of new awareness.<\/p>\n
something\u00a0\u00a0to think \u00a0about…. . but then again… only if you agree with my thinking \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
nite all, nite sam<\/p>\n
-me<\/p>\n
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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 … Continue reading sunday night – diversity of thought<\/span>