There has been a lot of talk this past year about people self isolating into groups of others like themselves.
We're calling them "bubbles".

In the past the biggest isolation was based upon race or ethnic background. However, in recent years we have seen that the bubbles can be based on geography, economic conditions, class, income, education, or sometimes all of these at once. For instance, the rural, white working class is isolated from, and hates,  the urban, coastal professional class.

This isolation creates tension as different groups have different economic interests, and cultural norms. I think most would agree that trade would be an issue that highlights the differences very well.

I did not appreciate how serious the issue of bubbles is until recently. Hey, I thought that our republic was very well constructed to allow several parties with competing interests to rationally discuss them and to reach compromise.
What I failed to take into account is this; the people, in their bubbles, seek out sources of news that,  rather than reporting objectively, reaffirm their existing beliefs. The people want to be reassured, not challenged. As Winston notes in 1984, the best books are the ones that tell you what you already know.
The bubbles become echo chambers.

So, now we have not just alternative facts, but an alternate reality, as people are both woefully and willfully misinformed about the very nature of their world.

Consider what we have seen right here recently.
There is no vetting process for refugees (There is)
The murder rate is at a 47 year high. (It isn't)
Illegals are pouring across the border at record highs. (They aren't)
There is no evidence of climate change (There is)
The press doesn't report terrorist attacks (They do)

So, when we reach across the divide to discuss our country's problems, we find ourselves not discussing solutions. Rather, we find ourselves fighting over reality.
This is crippling to the body politic. To illustrate the difficulty, allow me to offer an example.
Suppose you were holding a scientific conference to plan a trip to mars. Suppose that 40% of the participants did not acknowledge gravity, or that the earth orbits the sun. What a mess that would be.

So, when we discuss trade, guns, healthcare, whatever, we don't just disagree about solutions, we disagree about reality.

How does one pierce that bubble?

Last edited by Goose (2/10/2017 7:12 am)