I have been watching a disturbing trend gaining momentum in North American circles over the past ten years, a trend I have dubbed “Bipolarism.” I first noticed it bubbling up at dinner parties, where a guest would be chastised for not championing the social cause of the day. Intellectual rigour wasn’t embraced, in its stead, hard-line adaptation of populist agendas was the only acceptable point of view.
Admittedly, I grew up in a renegade household, where questioning the status quo was not only tolerated, but actively embraced by the family group mind. At an early age, I began questioning the culture I saw around me, and my favourite intellectual game became: “What if?” This line of inquiry led me to imagine other ways of organizing society, and topics arising out of these imaginings became one of my favourite things to study, ponder, and discuss.
To that end, I recently posted a video on Facebook that presented information contrary to the official narrative as promulgated by the mainstream media. The comments I got from friends were nothing less than astonishing in their tone: a barrage of critique for the maker of the video and the characters featured in it. On its own, this could be seen as a great thing, but I couldn’t help but notice there was no critique of the actual content of the video, to say nothing of the mainstream narrative they were defending.
Human beings like to belong, and this trait has allowed them to cooperate in ways that have built incredible cultures and institutions that showcase what is possible for humanity. But that desire to belong also engenders a blind tendency for groupthink, whereby the individual parks their critical thinking abilities at the door of social acceptance so as not to be left out in the cold. If critical faculties do emerge, they are used to stamp out alternative narratives, not to question existing ones.
We just lived through an age of cooperation that lasted for decades, and allowed for unprecedented peace and prosperity between the great nations of the world. But we are now entering the beginning of a new age, one that will require the engagement of our collective imaginations and creative energy to steer us into what comes next. From genetic manipulation to artificial intelligence, from economic platforms to political policies, if we don’t engage these faculties to help steer our species into this unknown future, the choices will be made for us.
Thank you again Margot,
I stopped using Facebook and Instagram for that same reason, instead of engaging in invigorating conversation of opposing opinions to chastising and defending snippets out of context.
Since then, conversations held with people in the same room have become cherished, although unfortunate, as change happens when dialogue is shared outside the room, in larger groups with opposing values and open minds
You don’t fully learn about India while sitting on your sofa. But you do have to remember not to bring your sofa with you to embrace India, in all it’s flavours, when there. The stench, the chaos and the noise to truly see it’s colour and history.
I hope we can truly do that again Margot. I will of course have to start with myself.
I do hope and trust you are well during all this crazy!
Thanks for posting this Margo.
Asty.
I remember thinking as a kid in the 60’s and 70’s, “what if the masses didn’t sit in front of the television?”
And also “why are they fighting?” wrt the Vietnam war.
It’s easier to criticize than to critique. Easier to approve or dismiss than to think. Easier to paint with a big roller and call it a picture, than paint with intentional, non-linear brush strokes.
If there is another virus to be wary of, it is the one dulling the human mind and our capacity for intentional reflection, honest critical thinking and courage to voice these at a time when we most. Paradoxically, we have more access to information, knowledge and tools to help us think, reflect, engage and debate…but if we all we do is use the big roller to paint the picture, we have totally missed the point.
Keep provoking thought and debate, Margo, it’s a vaccination against the mind drying, head bobbing (vertical and horizontal) virus that is infecting this herd (mentality).