Luke Rector ‘28, Photo Editor
Opinions, everyone has them, whether they are ice cold or steaming hot, it is a natural part of being a human. Opinions have existed since the very start of humanity; they have always been necessary to humanity. Whether it is something as small as a food preference or as major as a political leaning, it is easier to find someone with a different opinion from one’s own than to find a similar one.
In recent years, however, it has become more and more dangerous to have an opinion different from the mainstream. Something as simple as not liking a popular show or meme can be gravely offensive to both online and real life spaces. If somebody walks in a room with people of an even somewhat differing political or religious view point, it can quickly spin into rampant chaos and fighting-a problem that was miniscule years ago.
It seems as the years go by, people have been more and more willing to isolate themselves in echo chambers (spaces in which the same opinion is shared repeatedly with little to no variation); they never allow criticism from the outside of their chambers to breach past their walls. People get into verbal (and potentially physical in some cases) wars about the most meaningless topics. People online will get into major arguments about shows like Stranger Things, The Last of Us, Andor, or The Walking Dead that can lead to death threats and doxxing (revealing a person’s personal information such as address). And over what? Someone dared to like the season finale whilst another hated it? Is it really worth degrading one to the level of an animal just because someone dared to go against another’s opinion?
Take YouTube, Instagram, or any other popular social media site, for example, each of their algorithms are designed to specifically feed one opinions with which they agree. Just try to think of the last time you saw something on social media that challenged your preexisting opinion. This creates an echo chamber because algorithms are specifically designed to do so. Social media creates a space where people are not exposed to opposite opinions. Echo chambers are dangerous for critical thinking. A mob mentality can be created against anyone who does not share the same opinion due to echo chambers. A common saying is: “variety is the spice of life.” But we are replacing all these spices and seasonings and just throwing in salt instead. Salt is bad for the heart in the same way the echo chamber is bad for the brain. Sure it can taste or feel good, but it will only hurt you in the end.
In the disastrous event in which someone goes against the mainstream, they will be ridiculed and mocked by others for having an unpopular opinion. All the great minds dared to go against the mainstream. We will become stagnant as a society if we do not have people combating old ideas. How will any true advancement be made in medicine, politics, religion, and technology if nobody can come to an agreement through their separate opinions?
Individuality is the key to society, if everyone wanted to be an astronaut, would society have doctors? Lawyers? Or even just small jobs we need for our day to day lives? People always jump to conclusions about other people just because they do not see eye-to-eye on one miniscule thing. What these people don’t understand is that if everyone was the same as them, nobody would be able to be different. Our society as we know it would cease to function. We are training our brains to think the same because if we do not, we get negative feedback from others. The way our brains have developed is hurting our ability to think because we get punished for it.
As a society, no proper relationships or society can be formed without forward thinking people, people who dare go against the mainstream ideas. Would we have cars? The lightbulb? The skyscraper? The world as it exists now? We need a variety of opinions so one individual is not the same as all others, why does society scream and yell out those different when we should embrace them? Opinions are an essential, core part of humanity, and taking them away will have disastrous effects on human nature and advancements.
Lyon Life 