Would you let a wolf in? Echo chamber or community on social media

The echo chamber narrative is distracting us from our online community.

It seems everyone has offered their 2 pence on the idea of X alternatives being an 'echo chamber'. So, here's mine.

To clarify, an 'echo chamber' is a term for a space where you only hear opinions that mirror your own, without criticism or opposing opinions. This can lead to obvious issues, firstly the unhealthily inflated ego, secondly the lack of social growth (including communication skills).

But, most algorithmic social platforms are arguably echo chambers as they display posts that you're most likely to interact with (I suppose if you only use social media to argue with people then you'd see posts that oppose your opinion).

Personally, I think the fear of echo chamber social media is over-amplified.

Platforms like Bluesky have 20+ million users. I am very sure I do not agree with everything each one of those people says. And, to be frank, if I saw someone posting about things I morally disagreed with (especially if they do so in my space), I'd most likely block them - as I did on platforms previous.

This is because, to me, social media is about community - the people behind the accounts.

I don't want to spend time, online or otherwise, with people who don't believe I should have the right to marry my partner, or that my friends are lesser humans because of the colour of their skin. Those people aren't in my community.

I wonder if, perhaps, deep under the surface, the idea of an echo chamber comes from privilege and never having to experience the uncomfort of sharing an online space with people who have spoken against you - not your opinion, but your very being.

I'm not one to argue with people, I hate confrontation. But I can, will, and have fought back against the people I don't want to see online or in person, but why should I have to?

I know many like the idea of going on social media for an argument, to wind people up and have a verbal spat, but I use social media to connect with community.

I use social media to find other queer people, fans of the same TV shows, people who think Paramore are the best band in the world - the people I don't come across in my day to day life.

It's not that hard to find a homophobic, sexist, racist person outside of the digital space. I reckon, if I stepped away from my desk now, I could do so in about 20 minutes.

Why should I let those kinds of people into my digital community too?

Granted, a lot of this suggest that others have the same societal awareness that I do which I know is not true (that sounds very big-headed, but you get what I mean). Some people don't read the news. Some people only listen to the opinions of their family. Some people can only agree to something if their favourite celebrity endorses it.

But most people aren't some people.

We're not children. We know the horrors of the world. I just want to use social media that feels nice and lets me be social, not anti-social.