I was just on a call with a bunch of professionals in my industry, and I was …. What’s the right word? Certainly not shocked. I’ve seen this for too long to be shocked. Disappointed? Maybe. But I know how natural and normal this is, so that seems a little harsh.
“Worn out” seems to be good enough.
I was worn out by the failure of these intelligent people to realize how much of a bubble they live in.
We were talking about Covid, which is a big issue in the events business, which is part of what I do. (Events became a big portion of revenue for a lot of publishers a few years ago.)
I don’t care what you believe about Covid and vaccines and masks and standing 6 feet apart and the delta variant and blah blah blah. I’m over it. Believe what you like.
But I do care when people think there is only one perspective. Which applies to all sides of this debate, of course. There are “Covid is a myth” people who act as if their position is the only rational one, and there are “Covid is the end of days” people who can’t understand why everyone else isn’t soiling their underwear over this virus.
Once again … I get it. There’s all kinds of weird “information” out there. People can very easily go down rabbit holes.
But don’t they have the sense to realize that other people see things differently, and that they have (what they regard as) reasonable reasons for their perspective?
This is one of the big failures in modern life. We seem to be losing the ability to realize that other people are coming from a different perspective.
I suppose it’s a result of all that talk about diversity and inclusion.
QUOTE: I was worn out by the failure of these intelligent people to realize how much of a bubble they live in…this is one of the big failures in modern life. We seem to be losing the ability to realize that other people are coming from a different perspective.
I had the same realization years ago when I started traveling to different regions within the US and outside of the States. It provided an opportunity to see just how big, beautiful and different the world is. As well, how much of an echo chamber most live within. The context/culture of given environment often influences how we see the world. That’s fine. It’s when a preferred perspective is deemed the ONLY valid perspective that problems arise.
QUOTE: I suppose it’s a result of all that talk about diversity and inclusion.
I suspect it was factors such as tribalism, xenophobia, supremacy, intolerance, selfishness, self-preservation and good ole human nature that contributed to the “bubble” dynamic we currently experience. Diversity and Inclusion were tools intended to help us break free from our bubbles and create an appreciation for seeing things differently. Yet, as expected, people like their preferred bubbles and will demonize things that bring potential change to their comfort zone. So, in their view, the tool is the cause of the issue (not their intolerance) and they can’t understand why everyone else can’t see it that way.
What was it about the call that made it a bubble? Did all the participants have the same perspective, or different perspectives but not acknowledging other points of view? Interested in knowing more about what happened and the context.
I don’t know about “all participants,” but everyone who spoke acted as if there’s only one possible answer to whether a 20-something should get vaccinated, and that by failing to do so he was “almost murdering people.”
I believe the guy should get vaccinated, but there are no perfect solutions in life — only tradeoffs — and you have to look at the risks and rewards and make a decision. We need to respect other people and allow them to do that.
There were a few other things along the lines of “everyone should be scared to death, and if you’re not scared to death, you’re a horrible person.”
In retrospect, I should have spoken up, but it was a long string of nonsense like that, and I was just worn out and wanted to go get dinner. 🙂
Would it be more comfortable in that other bubble? The one where the final word was: “Damn it, this is all about freedom and nothing else. And I don’t wanna hear any more of it!”
In my bubble, I see it as a complex issue involving multiple considerations and parties. If it were just an individual decision, the answer would be simple. Everyone could make their “personal” decision and it would be no one else’s business. Yet, that’s not the case. An individual’s decision has the potential to negatively impact or kill others. Given that, it seems prudent to consider all factors (self and others) and make a responsible decision.
Frankly, I’m a bit mystified about the dissension that has arisen around Covid. People have chosen a side and gone into their corners and could care less about how others. I’m wondering if previous public crisis’ have prompted this type of response. If not, why now?
It is all very strange. “What side you’re on” seems more important than whether something is true, or even reasonable.
I’ve heard some say that unreasonableness is a virtue.
Think of it like the peacock’s tail. That stupid and costly tail does him no good, except to find a mate. Rather, it slows him down in many ways. It’s a costly signal.
The theory I heard was that being willing to stand up in public and say something stupid can be a costly signal of your allegiance to a side.