>People are hurting, and they don't have strong communities to support them.
Strangely your comment holds true in areas where community means you get many different perspectives.
In my experience (growing up in the south), it's "strong-knit" communities that are doing the most harm in perpetuating mistaken beliefs or amplifying anger.
What's especially weird is that this holds true when some communities' economic status is considerably better than the majority of the country!
There's a momentum behind beliefs that get culturally amplified. And it's hard to disagree with people when you don't have immediate examples to compare and contrast. Or worse, when your very livelihood gets threatened for going against the flow.
My own experience (given the above) is why I'm eternally grateful for the unfiltered internet I had when I was growing up. I wouldn't be half the person I am today without the many varied perspectives that I had access to per-social media bubbles.
I love that you've pointed out a way that having a community can be harmful as well.
One can have a community that isn't supportive, and that can be harmful. As you point out, you're grateful you were able to have access to other communities that helped you in life.
One can have a supportive community that is supporting something that might be harmful, as well. I got out of the community that raised me quick as lightning. They were decent, good-hearted people; they just had different ideas what they were willing to accept out of members of their community.
It's very much a Goldilocks problem. Everyone needs to find the community that's "just right", and that's hard. Even with the internet, because it's so easy to find the harmful but supportive communities.
Strangely your comment holds true in areas where community means you get many different perspectives.
In my experience (growing up in the south), it's "strong-knit" communities that are doing the most harm in perpetuating mistaken beliefs or amplifying anger.
What's especially weird is that this holds true when some communities' economic status is considerably better than the majority of the country!
There's a momentum behind beliefs that get culturally amplified. And it's hard to disagree with people when you don't have immediate examples to compare and contrast. Or worse, when your very livelihood gets threatened for going against the flow.
My own experience (given the above) is why I'm eternally grateful for the unfiltered internet I had when I was growing up. I wouldn't be half the person I am today without the many varied perspectives that I had access to per-social media bubbles.