LETTER

LETTRE

 Bubbles and fish fingers

 

    What happens in bubbles is that particular information and views get repeated, while others get systematically filtered out. If this sounds benign, consider bubbles more accurately described as echo-chambers or labs of propaganda. Consider the reality of social media, dominated by big-tech, as a reality in which the likes of Cambridge Analytica are a norm rather than a one-off scandal. Consider that we no longer live in one bubble containing a spectrum between left and right. We now exist in various bubbles of information, academically described as a "post-truth" environment. It's less overwhelming to think of our reality as a collection of bubbles. 
    In bubbles, things that are obviously untrue outside the bubble start to appear true, after being repeated x times. It turns out humans aren't attuned to scientific fact, but rather whatever gets repeated as fact. Contrary to our pride of intellect, most of us follow along with what others say. Did you know fish fingers are made from large fleshy starfish with fingerlike fins? This may sound as absurd as Ukraine being run by Nazis, but one of these views is being actively propagated as fact. 
    The new protesters in Canada's capital are again donning no political labels, because they believe they are standing for truth. They don't see that they are in a bubble, or that they are pawns in a political ponzi scheme. 
    If we are all in bubbles, how do you determine that your views are more true? Spend a little time in another bubble. If you are left of centre, spend a little time in far right blogs, chats, forums and media. And vice versa. You'll recognize a pattern there and start to recognize the same pattern in more diverse media without the political labels, where it masquerades as truth. 
    In coming weeks the repertoire of messages will, no doubt, emerge in the capital with claims of vaccines as genetic experimentation, Nazis ruling Ukraine, and mandates as political leveraging of a totalitarian leader in Canada. This might make about as much sense to you as fish fingers coming from fish with fingers. Increasingly, political news is available primarily through social media. Bubbles. The post-truth reality is a difficult adjustment, and some of us are still equipped with twentieth century ideas of critical thinking, as if there were just one bubble. 
Luke Parent
Gatineau