As you scroll through your social media feed today, the day after the president-elect was projected by the media. The day that some celebrate in anticipation of that projection being ratified, even while others struggle to reconcile whether that truly is the final result of a contested American referendum…
As you swipe through stories, as your finger sends new posts into view on your social media platforms of choice. If your news channels and YouTube feeds and Tik Toks only make you feel ONE way, I urge you to check your barometer.
It may need repair.
We can too easily isolate ourselves among those who agree with us.
We can too often let the algorithms sort us into like-minded jubilant celebrationists and disheartened, discouraged rebels.
As we scroll, the barometer we are looking at should be one reporting on mixed conditions. Empathy for our friends who are hurting, feeling robbed and wronged as well as showing us a glimpse at those who celebrate a victory.
This barometer only calibrates correctly if this is the one you see all year, every year and not only every four years.
It is in the boring moments and the quiet moments that we get a chance to do our best job of walking in one another’s moccasins.
It is in the relative calm before the storms of politics, culture and life that we can tell the algorithms, no thanks, I want to be part of something bigger than me.
I want to remain united with those that may feel or look or believe or even act differently than I do.
I hope you do too.
Calibrate your barometer daily. The storms of the future, your future and our future will be weathered better for it.
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