The spirit of debate is less “alive and well,” more “persisting and ailing.” People have set up think-camps that they remain loyal to whether they’re liberal, conservative, idealist, realist, religious, atheist or any other label. Conformity is king.
There are many reasons for this shift in our social fabric. First, globalization made our world smaller. Everyone with an internet connection was suddenly able to go online and post about what they thought. Second, social media became the center stage for online conversation and information sharing. What people discussed privately could now be distributed online for relative strangers to digest. What was happening in Australia could be shared and commented on in real-time in Canada. And, finally, these platforms could be utilized and monetized for marketing and media purposes. What that means in today’s society is that conglomerates can pay to target you with ads and content that help promote their agenda.
People who shout the loudest are always the first to be heard: Individualism and singular voices have been drowned beneath the chorus of a majority accord. Those who do manage to break free either become a group’s figurehead, such as Greta Thunberg, or a social pariah (anyone who’s gone viral on a bad day). The threat of social retribution compels a lot of us to water down our views or sidestep a conversation — especially in person. Yet, our hyper-personalized media consumption means we’re segregated online and, to a lesser extent, in our real lives. We’re put in identity camps where we’re coerced into reconstructing our reality so we conform to a band of thought.
The Doe is a news outlet looking to challenge this issue. It’s a blogging platform that selects contributors with compelling and eye-opening stories, enabling them to share their personal experiences and opinions anonymously. This anonymity allows the contributors to write their stories free from the threat of backlash. It lets their whispers be heard and their voices be counted amidst the noise of dissent. This protection offers freedom for both the contributors and the readers who are willing to hear them. It creates tough but productive dialogue that our cultural fabric sorely needs. This exposure to other people’s unfiltered and honest perspectives helps us to confront our biases and break free of the pack mentality that stops our society from evolving.
There are rules, too. There’s no room for hatred on The Doe. It’s about redefining civil discourse and opening our minds to the possibility that other people have a perspective worth hearing.
Follow them online at thedoe.com and Instagram @wearethedoe.
Laila Azzahra is a professional writer and blogger that loves to write about technology, business, entertainment, science, and health.