The Atomic Wedgie

It’s hard to believe that back in the early days of the internet, we were pretty sure that social media would be a unifying force that brought people together. It didn’t take long to realize that social media would instead divide us into rage-fueled silos of misinformed homogeneity. We’ve seen the divide when it comes to political parties and cultural issues, but thanks to the nature of social media, the nature of our political landscape, and maybe our own human nature, the all-inclusive, never-ending flashmob jamboree we thought we were building is gradually dividing us into smaller and smaller groups, online and off. “Some social scientists and cultural observers are increasingly considering [this] more extreme concept: atomization, or the scattering of people — not into two opposing factions but into countless smaller tribes. Like groups of atoms, those subsets can form — and dissolve — at quicksilver pace, leaving people in ever-tinier bubbles, devoid of connection with one another and the larger social fabric. Even subgroups have subgroups, dividing amoeba-like into combative factions, creating a nation of us vs. them and them and them.” NYT (Gift Article): America Is Atomizing. Don’t agree? That’s not a problem. Hardly anyone agrees with anyone on anything, so feel free to do your own research until you find your niche. “An atomized society provides community inside subcultures. Popular influencers, some with audiences far greater than those of traditional media outlets, have given voice to previously fringe interests, creating camaraderie for anyone who thought they were the only cat-loving gun owner. The palindrome enthusiast. A ‘hot’ girl with I.B.S. A knitting Swiftie. The constituencies start to sound like Mad Libs.” And if the socials shrank our groups, spending all day talking to a sycophantic AI agent will only accelerate the trend. My tribe is me, myself, and AI. What we thought would be one big party is morphing into a party of one.