[FRIAM] The solution to Trump-Biden polarization may be easier (and cheaper) than we think

[Steve Smith]

Barry (nod to Tom J) -

I very much agree that the demise (severe constriction?) of "long form
journalism" is significantly a problem for the larger discourse on the
many problems we face.  I'm not sure if the *readership* will support a
return to this.   I myself am guilty of "grazing" on hypermedia
sound/video/text-bites rather than taking the time and energy to prepare
and sit down to a proper 7 course meal.   Despite having a fairly
educated and well read peer group (here and elsewhere) I find that my
friends and colleagues to be as guilty as I of the same.   I *do* want
to believe that as the nation's cortisol levels drop (at least those who
remove themselves from the Facebook/Twitter-sphere).

I am just now listening to the newsfeeds applaud Biden's significant
(popular) but still squeek-by (electoral college) win and the Senate
remaining Republican controlled.   I went to bed late Tuesday night and
woke early Wednesday with a feeling of trepidation that Trump & Co had
pulled off the same thing they did in 2016, but by Wednesday evening I
began holding my breath in hopeful anticipation.   Today I finally
exhaled as the Presidential Electoral map turned blue (enough) today (or
more to the point, the major news networks, including Fox, declared a
win to Biden).

Marcus' point about "local optimization according to local information"
is relevant to the line of discussion SteveG has been promoting... 
fundamentally "trusting in the collective, emergent,
complex-adaptive-system".    Of course, this begs "what means local?" in
a highly connected world.   I personally feel that my ability to be a
"good citizen of the world" is improved by having dozens of
friends/colleagues around the world who I can tap directly for
information when something comes up that they are much more likely to
know directly about than I could (or any major media outlet).   I have
other friends/colleagues who have even more meaningful connections (via
global communications) than I do, so even if I can't get first-order
information, I can get *second order*.   I don't follow social media
(esp. Twitter and Facebook) which feels to me to facilitate the *worst*
of the negative feedback loops because they seem to undermine *personal*
investment/responsibility in the messaging they carry.

- Steve

> This applies to our zoom discussion on Friday.
>
> —Barry
>
> https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/solution-trump-biden-polarization-may-be-easier-cheaper-we-think-n1246573
>
>
> Sent from my iPad
> - .... . -..-. . -. -.. -..-. .. ... -..-. .... . .-. .
> FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
> Zoom Fridays 9:30a-12p Mtn GMT-6  bit.ly/virtualfriam
> un/subscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com
> archives: http://friam.471366.n2.nabble.com/
> FRIAM-COMIC http://friam-comic.blogspot.com/ 
>