On social media arguments in the Trump era
Is it worth the time to engage with people who are convinced their version of reality is right?
What an interesting time to be alive. We’ve just been through a rancorous election, and the election of a president whom more people voted against than for—some 8 million, to be exact.
We are divided. And cranky.
In the wake of this, I’ve been thinking a lot about social media, and how we engage with one another around disagreement—or don’t. I have friends who are frustrated by the proliferation of fake news and “alternative facts,” and who see no utility in trying to talk to people who are convinced that their version of reality is correct. Whether it’s the size of Trump’s inaugural crowd, or the reality of climate change, there’s no convincing people, so why try? Our time can be used more productively in other ways.
