You are on page 1of 2

Brooke Gomes

Brooke Gomes is a digital media artist, musician, and writer with an


interest in epistemology and the curious behaviors of human beings.

05.01.2015

Fundamentalist Influence and Tolerance Among Social Media Users


There is an insidious trend among social media users. Weve all seen it. Many are guilty. As you scroll
through your Facebook feed past cats, personalized ads, baby pictures, complaints, and the occasional
witty status, eventually you will be confronted with a conflagratory religious post. I am not referring to the
quotes and memes touting love thy neighbor type scriptures. We have all seen politically charged, myopic
fundamentalist material pass through our social media feeds, usually courtesy of an estranged friend or
relative. And, if we are in disagreement with their views, at the very least these posts invoke a good old
fashioned face-palm.
What is really going on here? First, lets consider religions (and by
extension, political parties) sordid past of convert or die strategies. By uniting
large populations with a common belief structure, it was easier for the state to
control the masses and create functional societies based on divine authority.
Now, lets combine that with the tribalistic nature of homo-sapiens and we have
a recipe for cognitive bias and the avoidance of contradictory information. This
behavior persists because the pre-conscious ego devises ways to navigate the
world and enable its own survival. In other words, we are wired based around
the needs of our deepest unconscious desires and we actively seek out groups to identify with based on
those desires and our conscious interpretation of them.
Now that we understand the mechanism behind these actions, lets
re-examine the austere creators of these religious posts. Maybe they are
afraid of death, or worse, afraid of life. These beliefs give them something
to rationalize their existence, their inevitable death. It is the rare intellect
that is not plagued by the crushing weight of its own existence and the
need to ensure its eternal survival. In light of this, it is understandable that
such large portions of the global populace subscribe to beliefs that give
them a sense of security and order in the world. Social media sites such
as Facebook have brought our thoughts and deepest fears out into the
daylight before a large and diverse audience. Social media users are
subjected to a variety of unprovoked opinions and beliefs and when those
differ from our own, it is all too easy to join the discussion, which frequently
devolves into an inflammatory debate.
Should we, as civilized people, be tolerant of others beliefs? Absolutely.
What about if those preaching hate and separatism are trampling the
foundation of a philosophy based on peace and love? Then we, as
educated individuals, should understand the root of their beliefs and seek
to inspire peace within the hearts of our fellow humans. We are a species
that learns and evolves through mimicry, and if we lead by an example of
love, then surely we can ignite that yearning for connectivity and belonging
in a positive and productive way.

You might also like