We Need To Talk About Digital Censorship
Digital censorship has really divided us. We no longer have the ability to debate things and remain friends. We’ve become so entrenched in our own beliefs that we’re unwilling to listen to opposing viewpoints.
This digital censorship has to end if we ever want to have a real conversation again. We need to be able to listen to each other and understand where the other side is coming from.
Only when we can listen, then can we find common ground and move forward together.
It’s time to put down the digital shields and start talking to each other again. Only then can we hope to find a way forward that works for everyone.
The Digital Divide by Digital Censorship
The media is constantly spinning stories to keep people on their toes. One minute you’re watching TV and the next, all of a sudden there are some news flashes that make your blood boil or feel happiness for whatever reason — but either way, it’s not true!
This isn’t just happening with networks; sometimes even if someone participates in conversations online about various topics (such as politics), they’ll get banned from social networking sites like Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook after posting “ disagrees” towards one side’s opinion.
Not only does it happen with disagreements but just posts itself on social media.
Take for example the Babylon Bee. They are the FAKE NEWS comic relief website. They were suspended by Twitter along with several others in recent days.
According to their website “The Babylon Bee is the world’s best satire site, totally inerrant in all its truth claims. We write satire about Christian stuff, political stuff, and everyday life.”
So why can’t we even post satire without censorship?
Now a million people left Facebook last year and many of them went over to alternative social media networks.
However, this only divides us further as we are forced to take sides.
How Will We Ever Agree With The Digital Censorship?
If we can’t listen to each other, post to each other, or share our views how can we ever come to any agreements?
If we unfriend everyone who disagrees with us, delete their comments, ban them from our sites and networks, how will we ever come to any different conclusions? Why do we all of a sudden cover our ears and our eyes to different views?
Furthermore, if we all go over the alternative sites, then we are truly divided — never to speak again on the networks that banned us.
The Good Old Days Uncensored
I remember Friday nights at the family card table. Everyone talked about the news of the day, local politicals, world politics, etc. People argued, but we all listened to each viewpoint. Everyone left with a hug and a smile.
Today that same family cannot discuss anything. It’s off-limits. It’s not just families, it’s friends now as well. People that have been friends for years can no longer talk about many topics.
Not even the weather can be discussed today as it turns into global warming debates. The weather was always a conversation breaker. Even asking how someone feels can put you down a slippery conversation path.
Tip Toe Around the Tulips
Doesn’t it feel like we have to tiptoe around the old tulips? We have to be cautious about everything we say, or post. Every letter, every word can be construed by someone for something else.
We can lose our social media accounts that we’ve built up for years with a few keystrokes on our laptops or mobile devices.
If Big Tech Could Just Listen
Yes, big tech is part of the problem. They have their ears covered and minds closed. If they could only let us debate everything we may be able to come together.
We may not agree on everything but at least we would discuss things and not be as divided as we are today.
Even in the good old days, we didn’t all agree on things; but that was the beauty of the conversations.
However, you could discuss all things and move forward together as family and friends, a true community.
