Healthy debates…where’d they go?

What happened?

I remember a time when people could have healthy debates over a limitless range of topics (politics, current events, etc.). Some of the best conversations I’ve had with my closest friends have been centered around debates. We’ve shared points of view on all sorts of things, including presidential candidates, while not only maintaining but, also, strengthening our friendships. It seems like the days of each person bringing a perspective to the table and exchanging healthy rebuttals are over. Anymore, if you don’t completely agree with another person, you’re labeled a radical for the opposing belief. The whole concept of cancel culture is utterly ridiculous. You can’t open your mouth and even ask questions or offer different perspective without someone just blasting you or shaming you for even considering an alternative thought.

Mastodon
When I first joined Mastodon, back in 2019, I really enjoyed the exchanges with other people. It reflected that healthy dialogue I described, above. However, these days, even Mastodon is riddled with misinformation and people creating echo chambers to bolster agreements from peers vs. seeking diverse input or thought. I rarely explore outside the confines of Fosstodon, simply because of how toxic the different instances have become with sharing articles and then berating or generalizing about anyone that follows an alternate thought process. For such an alternative platform, I’m appalled at how much it’s turned into a mirrored image of Facebook. So many people are blindly sharing articles without doing any of their own research. Then, tearing into anyone that chimes in offering different considerations. It’s even worse when it’s done with pack or herd mentality.

With that said, I’m not ripping on Mastodon for any other reason than it being my main source of social media, these days. As so many others did, I completed my exodus from Facebook (well before it was trendy) to carve out nonsensical gaslighting from my life.

In summary, I welcome alternative views, healthy debates, and opposing beliefs/thoughts. However, if it’s not done in a respectful manner or adds no value to my life, I’m just as happy to move along.