“Echo Chambers”

Have you ever wondered why extreme positions can sometimes gain traction when otherwise the statements themselves seem to make no sense to you? What happens when a people in a subgroup get together, be it on the internet, or in real life, and decide to express their common views together. By finding people who agree with your view points, you create an atmosphere where what you think and feel is validated, is echoed by those who surround you.

The BDSM community is a great example of a subculture who sticks together to validate themselves and their beliefs. By finding people of like minds, the feeling that somehow they are strange for their desires and interests are relieved, because there are other people who like the same thing. You see similar things happen in politics, where liberals or conservatives, libertarians or centrists, get together in groups to help validate their beliefs. Religion is another great example of how the ‘echo chamber effect’ can reinforce beliefs.

Is the echo chamber effect a healthy or unhealty thing? Well, it depends. Using the above examples: In BDSM, it helps someone find a sense of acceptence that they might otherwise not find in a vanilla community. Particularly in a puritanical culture like the US. At the same time, finding a group that wishes for a brand of BDSM that is inherently dangerous (be it physically or psychologically) can help reinforce that certain behaviors is fine and would minimize consideration of consequences.

In politics, having a group to associate with can push an individual to express themselves and promote a cause. However, not taking the time to objectively examine other viewpoints can lead to a set of blinders where someone feels their choice is the only ‘valid’ one. which isn’t healthy for discourse or compromise.

Religion and the echo effect: By strengthing faith, the echo effect helps perpetuate religious belief and organization. However the same echo effect also helps perpetuate intolerance and the belief that one religion is superior to another. (which is inherently an unprovable statement hence the echo effect has more control of how someone believes due to the lact of hard facts)

Reinforcement of your views and beliefs can be both a bad thing and a good thing. Trying to say that it is unhealthy would be taking something that is a natural and reasonable thing and throwing it out because it also can lead to unhealthy close mindedness. (or potentially unhealthy behaviors)

You see similar things with things like drug use, drug parties, and the friends people have (haven’t you wondered why most people who are drug addicts tend to surround themselves with other users? It helps validate their actions).

So, remember, when you are a part of a group that helps you reinforce your viewpoints, take the time to step back and examine things objectively as well. learn about yourself and understand how their thoughts can influence you, Even subtly.

Just food for thought 🙂