I'm Alright With My Self-Reflective Bubble of Like Minds Ta.

16th November 2016.

Getting more and more pissed-off with the accusation that anyone on the left who uses social media is living in a self-reflective bubble of like minds. Did we used to say this about people down the pub talking about the issues of the day? 'Oh they go down the Victory'. They're all the same down there ... all bloody right-wingers, just agreeing with each other.'

People have always gathered together and chewed the fat about what's happening in the world. And a lot of the time you do it with people who you have some common ground with. I'm not going to take the blame for the rise of the far-right because I talk to my mates and try and understand things better .... share information that might give me a better grasp of what's going on.

I'm not saying that we shouldn't expose ourselves to views we don't agree with, but to be honest, in the UK right now, it's pretty difficult not to be exposed to them anyway. Sharing stuff with friends on social media actually helps me as an antidote to what's going on. People post stuff that helps me clarify things - inform myself. It gives me a sense of solidarity in the face of the encroaching chaos. I feel less alone.

Yes, it's not enough in times like this. But what should we do? Stop talking to each other? Accept that as lefties we have no right to share opinions and views? Sorry, but big dog's bollocks to that. Who knows - the connections and networks that we make on social media may actually prove life-saving in times to come. As things get worse (and they're going to - let's stop looking to a bright side that increasingly looks less and less plausible), we may really need to call upon each other in very practical ways.

Yes, we need to do more than just talk, but not talking isn't going to help that 'more' happen.