Has the disconnect from reality in the US reached an all-time high?

General
1

Recently, I have been contemplating the state of our society and I am eager to hear others’ opinions. It appears that many Americans are increasingly disconnected from the realities surrounding them. This includes a wide range of topics such as politics, social problems, and even fundamental truths about how things function. There seems to be a significant disparity between what people perceive and what is true.

I don’t want to single out any specific groups or political parties. It seems that this phenomenon is widespread, with many individuals believing things that don’t align with reality. Social media likely exacerbates this issue by confining people within their own echo chambers.

Is anyone else noticing that this issue has become more pronounced in recent years? What do you think is driving this phenomenon, and is there a solution?

2

This stuff’s always existed, but social media just makes it visible now. Before, people had weird views but you’d never know unless you talked to them directly. Now it’s everywhere, and those algorithms make it worse by feeding people more of the same content, so they just get more entrenched in their beliefs.

3

Gaming communities are a perfect example of this. People get crazy invested in console wars and arguing over game reviews when honestly, none of it matters.

4

Yeah for sure, it’s wild how many people are trapped in their own views because of what they see online.