In Search of Safer Communities

In early January, a group of local and Philadelphia-area residents met at the Penn Wynne Library to break bread and build connections. If you've been following this blog, you know that the idea was to create a safe space for discussing the issues of the day but without arguments—even if we do disagree.

If I count myself,10 people attended that first gathering. A few friends came to ensure I didn't have a zero-attendance public meeting. Others came because they're distressed about the state of our country. And finally, some came because they think it's important to build connections and practice civil discourse. I felt humbled by people's willingness to openly share.  

We heard things like; I'm struggling with health and aging. I'm having trouble finding a new job. I can't connect in public with others because it seems everyone's always on their phones. I am afraid for my family members who are immigrants and identify as LGBTQ+. I don't want my children to grow up thinking that people whose politics are different are all bad. I'm happy with the state of our country and am choosing to say so, even if I know many here don't agree.

It became clear that we were mostly a group of progressives of varying stripes and one or two who might identify as conservative.

It's a strange time to try to reach across the political divide. The rhetoric of the current administration has exacerbated our tendency to take sides. And biased news programing, such as with much of the coverage of the recent killings of protestors in Minnesota, has portrayed these events so differently. Given all of this, I suspect the effort to seek common ground will seem foolhardy to many. It feels like putting one foot in front of the other in the dark.

I don't have a regular practice of consuming media that slants right, but occasionally, out of curiosity, I take a look to compare how particular stories are being portrayed. I find that the judgement of what's news and what's the angle to be the most striking difference. A lot of what I see in slanted coverage, whether it be right or left, promotes an us versus them mentality.

Research has shown that the danger of polarization increases as our social media algorithms feed us the content that we already favor. In general, people's media consumption generally leans toward whatever news program confirms their bias, which means that many of us don't truly understand how people outside of our own silos look at an issue.

Thanks to the Ad Fontes Media Analysis resource, shared by the Penn Wynne head librarian Jennifer Kuhns, we could take a closer look at the wider spectrum of news options. This site analyzes the quality of the content and the degree of bias. It rates their findings on a spectrum-like grid. I wonder if in future meetings it would be worthwhile to analyze some articles published by the lesser-known media outlets to try to categorize their leanings or slant together. It's a work in progress.

In the meantime, I'm trying to recruit more conservative voices to work toward some balance in our group. If you know anyone—folks on either side of the aisle who would appreciate the value of listening and finding commonalities, please share this post! I'd love to hear ideas for how I might extend this invitation to the wider community.

Our next meeting is scheduled for February 17 - 5:30 pm at the Penn Wynne Library - 130 Overbrook Pkwy, Wynnewood, PA 19096