The Danger of Echo Chambers

Ironically, you're in a wide open space, you fill your lungs with air and belt out your "Hellooo" and what bounces back from the far away hills is, of course, "Hellooo."  We find it amusing and comforting that we hear our own voices coming back to us.  But the U.S. election shows us just how dangerous an echo can be.  Hearing your own opinions, your own voice bouncing back to you through Facebook or Twitter or Instagram turns out to be a grave danger.

When we are forced out of our echo chambers, when our self indulgent peace is disturbed by the "other", whether it is on a streetcar or in an arena, and we hear racist words, weak arguments and illogical conclusions, we are almost shocked.  Did he just say that, we say to our partner. Did I actually hear her say that we whisper to our friend.

We haven't done much in education to stop this echoing.  Safe places and trigger warnings in schools and universities serve to mute people and when they are muted, the only voices we hear are our own.  Those of you firmly ensconced in my echo chamber may gasp right now.  "Is he arguing against safe spaces?" I can see your furrowed brow.

Schools need to be places where rigorous debate occurs.  A classroom can sometimes be no different than our Facebook feeds; only the chosen get to speak, only the worthy get to be acknowledged.  We can see now how important it is to have broad range of discussion.  We need to hear opposing views, even if sometimes they boarder on reprehensible.  The more reprehensible, the easier it is to expose and defeat.

I know that there is a danger that a young person listening to such a debate may feel harmed or threatened or anxious but this is the way a democracy functions.  And this is where the skill of a teacher is most needed.  It is in the moderation of an argument, in the careful and polite questioning of an idea where the teacher can illuminate the weaknesses of a poorly constructed argument and can affirm for students who may feel vulnerable that there is an order and a logic to public discussion.  All students will find comfort in a polite, controlled, thoughtful and considered discussion of an idea.

Debate clubs have disappeared from schools.  The formal debate, the preparation of an argument that you don't necessarily agree with needs to make a come back.  Being forced into a position you do not agree with, is important for the mind and begins to free us from the echos that social media reverberate.

Let's teach students to defend the ideas contrary to their own and by doing so, we begin to build the foundations of civilized, thoughtful debate, leading ultimately, to the adoption of good ideas.