Mathematicians, along with political scientists, have worked
on studies that prove that social media is creating a divide among us. The
moment we log in to our social media accounts, the newsfeeds are flooded with
businesses of similar niche. But what is it about this medium that is making
people ask if it’s polarizing the Americans?
The polarization occurs on different levels. Affective
polarization revolves around the way people with different viewpoints and
perspectives do not embrace or acknowledge the differences. Ideological
polarization, on the other hand, is the disagreement between the two parties with
differing political attitudes to the extreme ideologies.
Social media is a platform that amplifies certain views, and
as a result, the effect is magnified. Some journals talk about how there is a
growing trend of people disagreeing with each other, creating a divide, tearing
the Americans apart, making them more polarized than ever.
The nature of polarization is quite different from what most
people believe. Americans still dislike each other for holding different views,
but their toleration level has increased. They don’t tend to disagree with each
other as much as they used to earlier since they have now gotten a chance to
listen to the side of the other party, thanks to social media.
Social media is playing a significant role in shaping our
perception of different theories, topics, emotions, and the behavior of other
fellow Americans. It is no doubt a platform where the spark of polarization is
fueled, yet, the polarization has been there way before since the existence of
social media.