Isolationism. It may seem warm and snuggly. . .just you and a few that share your opinions. By creating a wall around yourself, you can shut out the world; in a fortress-like sense it seems like a safer place. It is, however, a misguided sense of comfort. Whether in the workplace or out in the world, isolation means that ultimately you are unsupported and you will fail because of a lack of awareness of other opinions and points of view.
Today, it seems it is easier to be isolated. It used to be we had to be physically out in the world so much more, exposed to so much more. Now, however, a bulk of work is accomplished in the comfort and confines of our desks and couches and computers (which is great) so that we don't need to be out among the masses and exposed to that diversity of opinion (which is not so great).
"But what about all the diversity and spectrum of information that the digital age gives us?" True enough, but what about all of the filters that come with the digital age? A family friend makes a very wise observation: sophisticated user tracking (especially on social networks) feeds us the information that, based on our user patterns, is often want we want to see. This in turn provides us with a special degree of isolation or a belief that more aligns with our opinions than what is reality.
In the world of media - there are a breadth of channels available so that we can select that which is the most familiar and that which conveniently feeds our preconceived notions.
No mistake: isolationism = narcissism. Isolationism is the power of one vs. the power of many.
The remedy? We need to actively put ourselves out there. Let's use the digital resources that are available to feed our curiosity. Let's seek the facts as opposed to being all self-content with our own assumptions that resolve with name calling and broadbrush statements. We should understand other opinions to both challenge and strengthen our resolve. Let's acknowledge what is and work with others to change that which is unjust. Let's actively educate ourselves through inquiry and passionately engage in conversation that illuminates the community.
Let's not stand alone; let's stand together.
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My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available on Amazon Kindle.
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