The state of democracy in America and around the world is vulnerable, fragile and cracked. Differing political ideologies feel more like different countries. The “common enemy” is no longer an adversarial country, but a neighbour up the road. It feels like we can no longer speak to one another. Each election feels like an existential crisis. There are many causal factors that lead a society to faction. But social media has played an outsized role in the unwinding of ours over the past decade. It has rewired us into a society that seeks constant external validation. We live in a state of constant performance. Algorithms reward the content that receives the most engagement. That content is often enraging and polarizing. As psychologist Jonathan Haidt describes: social media has both magnified and weaponized the frivolous. It has given a microphone to ideas & beliefs that were once fringe and geographically constrained. It has also, along with search engines, “supercharged confirmation bias, making it far easier for people to find evidence for absurd beliefs and conspiracy theories.” Democracy requires shared stories, shared beliefs and shared values. Social media is dissolving all three. But social media is not a mirror to society. Yes, the ideas and thoughts that are shared on social media are real and can have irrevocable consequences. But often the harmful ideas that reach the masses have been propelled by algorithms. Many would not have made such an impact otherwise. In fact, those with the most extreme political views comprise of only 14% of the population in the US. 86% of people float somewhere in the middle. (Source: Hidden Tribes Study). I’ve had the privilege of being able to talk to some of the most brilliant thinkers on this topic, such as psychologist Jonathan Haidt and historian Jason Steinhauer. While we face a very uphill battle, many levers for change are within our control. Such as hardening our institutions for the digital age and redesigning social platforms. I will continue to share more on this pressing topic & the solutions that exist to bring about change. I believe this is one of the most urgent crises of our time. -SB