A Marketplace of Echoes?

1. Is everything so divided as Weinberger makes it out to be?
2. Is the idea of "forking" causes us to become more hard headed and set in our ways?
3. Does narrowing down diversity in groups involve some discrimination?


2) I will be addressing the second questions

Every right minded individual in the world has an opinion about something. Doesn't matter what the topic is, if they've heard about it, they have already formed one. With the internet how it is, information is available for anyone to look things up. There is forums about everything from cars to horses, you just have to look in the right spot. Once you find what you're looking for you set up your thought or start reading other peoples ideas. If those ideas mirror the ones you already have, you have found a new home to discuss how you feel on a certain topic.

I feel as though with people fork off, they start forming their own "cliques" online, they become very much set in their ways. They get into discussions with like minded individuals which then just reinforces the way they think. The more people get told that the way they think is the right one, the more they ignore other opinions because they've gotten use to being correct. People especially don't like being told they are wrong so when someone enters a discussion and completely undermines everything you have thought and believed on a topic, it throws you for a loop. Other than the rare case of that happening, people tend to stay in their comfort zone and not venture into uncharted territory. It's like if a crip was to walk into blood territory and start shouting out what he thought of them.

Weinberger was correct in his idea that a moderator is necessary. It stops the discussion from taking a childish turn for the worst. Discussions online eventually sometimes become personal and sometimes steer off in an off topic direction. With a moderator, discussions on a neutral ground can take place and hopefully reach a better understanding on the topic at hand.