One of the best ways to grow your own inclusive mindset is to expand your influences and horizons. The wonders of technology mean there are more ways to do this than ever before. However, they don’t always work to help you.
I’m sure you know that social media algorithms work to show you more of the same content, estimating that if they give you more of what you’ve already looked at, you’ll likely spend more time on the platform. And time is money in this context. It’s not just social media though – I’m an audio book fan and when I get to the end of one, the platform will show you “because you liked this… try …” recommendations. And sometimes I’ve found things there that I wouldn’t have found otherwise. But before you know it, you’ve listened to 5 books all in the same genre and they are starting to sound eerily familiar. The same is true with music streaming.
Why does it matter if you get fed similar stuff? Well, maybe it doesn’t, but just like eating the same food every night would probably get a bit boring and narrow your tastes, so does consuming a very similar diet on social media. Expanding what you see can lead you to ask different questions, take new paths and appreciate different perspectives and points of view (even if you don’t agree with them, it’s important to recognise that they exist). So I recommend for number 19 on #22WaysToBeConsciouslyInclusiveIn2022 trying to beat the algorithms and get them to send you more varied stuff. The same algorithms that work against you, can also work for you once you get started.
A note of caution – there can be sense in using the algorithms to narrow your feed, if for example, you want to detox your feed for the sake of your own wellness.
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