Are we a self-reinforcing bubble?

[ardcarp]

Justin Welby was musing on the Today Programme about the 21st Century. He said inter alia that social media sites had created "self-reinforcing bubbles of like-minded people". Are we [i.e. our Forum] one of those? And does it matter?

In fact I found his interview as a whole somewhat contradictory. He said our generation has more 'integrity' than previous ones [really?] yet he deplored the rise of individualism. I'm not sure 'integrity' is a word I'd use about many of today's institutions, including business, education, public services, transport, politics...I could go on.....

[french frank]

I've just read the account of the Welby interview (the BBC story seemed mainly concerned to deny the charges against them and hit back, rather than to report the whole subtance!).

Are we a 'self-reinforcing bubble'? I'm not sure how that would apply: we have created a community, of sorts, though it isn't always like-minded. I wonder sometimes how far some people are self censors - not contradicting the majority line, but I'd have said that in general … people say what they think Which is how it should be.

Justin Welby was musing on the Today Programme about the 21st Century. He said inter alia that social media sites had created "self-reinforcing bubbles of like-minded people". Are we [i.e. our Forum] one of those? And does it matter?

In fact I found his interview as a whole somewhat contradictory. He said our generation has more 'integrity' than previous ones [really?] yet he deplored the rise of individualism. I'm not sure 'integrity' is a word I'd use about many of today's institutions, including business, education, public services, transport, politics...I could go on.....

[gurnemanz]

"self-reinforcing bubbles of like-minded people" surely might do as a definition of a church. Re individualism, Brian comes to mind.

What I enjoy about this board is the diversity of views.

[ahinton]

"self-reinforcing bubbles of like-minded people" surely might do as a definition of a church. Re individualism, Brian comes to mind.

What I enjoy about this board is the diversity of views.

Yes; the lilke-mindedness to which the Archbishop evidently refers manifests itself in fora such as this one more in communal interests in certain subjects than a commonality of opinions thereon.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

... social media sites had created "self-reinforcing bubbles of like-minded people". Are we [i.e. our Forum] one of those?

"Like-ish - minded", perhaps: sometimes the differences of opinion create the most "lively" Threads!

And does it matter?

The Forum matters to me - it is informative, entertaining, and infuriating (often in the same post): AND it enables communication (to quote Nicholas Parsons) "not only in this country, but across the world" between people who don't often get to chat (and quarrel) about the Music, Arts, and ideas that means most to them with the majority of friends and acquaintances that they know in the "real" world. This "bubble" has challenged some of my deepest-held opinions and ideas, forcing me to revaluate, refine, and rethink. That's the sort of "self-reinforcing" I value.

[DracoM]

[Barbirollians]

"Like-ish - minded", perhaps: sometimes the differences of opinion create the most "lively" Threads!


The Forum matters to me - it is informative, entertaining, and infuriating (often in the same post): AND it enables communication (to quote Nicholas Parsons) "not only in this country, but across the world" between people who don't often get to chat (and quarrel) about the Music, Arts, and ideas that means most to them with the majority of friends and acquaintances that they know in the "real" world. This "bubble" has challenged some of my deepest-held opinions and ideas, forcing me to revaluate, refine, and rethink. That's the sort of "self-reinforcing" I value.

Except where Scheherazade is concerned ?

[Beef Oven!]

"Like-ish - minded", perhaps: sometimes the differences of opinion create the most "lively" Threads!


The Forum matters to me - it is informative, entertaining, and infuriating (often in the same post): AND it enables communication (to quote Nicholas Parsons) "not only in this country, but across the world" between people who don't often get to chat (and quarrel) about the Music, Arts, and ideas that means most to them with the majority of friends and acquaintances that they know in the "real" world. This "bubble" has challenged some of my deepest-held opinions and ideas, forcing me to revaluate, refine, and rethink. That's the sort of "self-reinforcing" I value.

I love the forum and value it highly, so on that level I agree with you. But it's beside the point. The forum is a self-reinforcing group. Members who don't subscribe to the left wing political values have been bullied off the forum by fellow forum members and politically bias moderators. In fact the moderation has amounted to censorship. Regarding music, the forum is a rather conservative, unambitious risk-averse community more interested nostalgia. I don't even bother to contribute regarding H&N, for example because I'd only be talking to about 3 people.

I know that this forum is indeed a self-reinforcing bubble. What confuses me is why other members don't think it is - and why anyone would think that it would be any different to any web-forum in this regard!!

[eighthobstruction]

....let battle commence....

[ahinton]

....let battle commence....

I suspect that it may already have done so!...

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Except where Scheherazade is concerned ?

Even that! The enthusiasm for the R-K (the quality of the Ravel is indisputable) encouraged me to listen to the work a couple of times again, and you know what? I'm more than ever convinced that my opinion is the right one, and that I need to work harder to get others to "revaluate, refine, and rethink" their favourable opinion of the ryddu piece!


(Same goes for the Ravel orcastration of Pictures!)

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I don't even bother to contribute regarding H&N, for example because I'd only be talking to about 3 people.

Oh, but BeefO - think of the quality of those "3 people"!



(I have to! )

[Beef Oven!]

Oh, but BeefO - think of the quality of those "3 people"!



(I have to! )

Jokes aside - yes the highest quality possible.

[Richard Barrett]

Justin Welby was musing on the Today Programme about the 21st Century. He said inter alia that social media sites had created "self-reinforcing bubbles of like-minded people". Are we [i.e. our Forum] one of those? And does it matter?

I would say yes we are, and no it doesn't matter. Where this sort of thing matters is on platforms like Facebook where it's easy for people to get the impression that for example their political opinions are shared by most people when actually all they really know is they're shared by most of their "friends". This is why the Brexit referendum and Trump's election were such a shock to so many people.

[Nick Armstrong]

the Ravel orcastration