Challenge Your Dogma // Variant Perception #47
We live in the golden age of dogma. Not because we have the best dogma (who can beat ancient mythologies?). No, we’re just drowning under oceans of it. Social media plus the internet has made it so that never before has any human been exposed to more competing ideologies and statements of “fact” (which are just strongly worded opinions).
It’s having a notable and negative effect on our society. Sociologist Zygmunt Bauman, the founder of liquid modernity, explains, “We live in a world of increasing pluralism and ambivalence, which means we are constantly exposed to different perspectives and contradictory norms.” Narratives fighting for dominance drown out nuance in favor of simplistic moral frameworks. The ones that can most easily hijack our minds and media. However, the world is not binary; it is complex and multi-faceted.
We’ve gone from long-form debates and thousand-year-old cultures to multi-minute news cycles and memes. The short-form chaos is destroying our culture's sense-making.
It’s understandable. A great meme is one you just can’t wait to share with your friends. They’re fun, exciting, and low-commitment. Rational beliefs often seem boring compared to the allure of ideological arguments, which draw people into heated debates. In this case, what’s most alluring is actually the most harmful.
Polarized ideas captivate us, while nuanced perspectives fade into the background. As journalist and author Ezra Klein notes, “Polarization generates passion, and passion drives engagement.” And engagement creates power.
Look no further than the current unraveling of the “sharp as a tack” Biden narrative. Media and public opinion have been polarized between two opposites, “the best Biden ever,” as MSNBC's Joe Scarborough said, and bumbling senility framed by the right.
In reality, it’s been rather plain to see Biden’s consistent physical and mental decline over the last four years of being Commander and Chief of the world’s most demanding and stressful job. Admitting this rather obvious truth, that an 82-year-old ages, was met with staunch denial. The believers required a purity of belief in this narrative. Any deviation was met with scorn.
As we’re seeing now, however, beliefs that require adhesion to a dogmatic perspective, while more alluring in the short term, ultimately self-destruct under the scrutiny of time.
Dogmatic groups form by coalescing under rigid perspectives communicated through simplistic memes. These groups then enforce these belief systems, applauding conformity and rejecting dissent.
“Trust the science!”
“Best Biden ever!”
“They want to kill babies!”
Most modern hot-button issues highlight how quickly nuanced debate gets shunned. In today’s world, you’re either a Nazi or a communist. A baby killer or a zealot.
Let’s pick on the social justice movement as an example. These groups united under rigid and ideological beliefs on how the world should be. They created simple definitions of problems and solutions, which attracted individuals who resonated with their message. Patriarchy, racism, oppressor, colonizer, bigot, and transphobe became labels through which people were separated into “good” and “bad” without thought to context or consequence. Inclusion in these groups required strict adherence to these moral philosophies or else… CANCELED.
As with all things, the group has evolved and grown over time. Now, it contains a wider swath of diverse perspectives (which should strengthen the movement) on what issues matter most. However, because the movement rests on a foundation of dogma, instead of bolstering its strength, the diverse opinions created a hierarchy of who’s most oppressed, with each group competing to get the top spot.
Groups that require a strict adherence to ideological dogma will eventually splinter under the in-fighting. We’re seeing it now with the Palestine protests. How does the “Free Palestine” movement fit in with LGBT rights and a Jewish population that has historically been highly supportive of the left? Who’s oppression gets prioritized?
This seems like common sense, yet our culture has not developed the immune system to fight against the viral combo of alluring ideology and TikTok.
Flexible, robust beliefs require multipolar perspectives, which I believe is necessary for our modern society to thrive. To form robust opinions, we must resist the temptation of ideological rigidity. That means engaging with people who hold different opinions. Can you steelman the argument for the people you disagree with? If not, then you rest under the umbrella of dogma. When you notice this happening, try to embrace nuance, seek to understand, and find value in diverse perspectives. Train yourself to appreciate complexity.
Journalist David Brooks observes, “The culture war seeks to eliminate nuance and replace it with binary thinking, which is easier to rally around but ultimately divisive.”
What conversation can you have that challenges your dogma?
Stay nuanced,
Jared