An Echo Chamber?

I wonder sometimes about the Echo Chamber Effect where you only see posts that favor your world view. So I look at right-wing media to see what they are saying, and a good benchmark right now is the killings of Mr. Kirk.

According to NPR News, Trump places much of the responsibility on what he calls “radical left political violence” for creating an environment in which this kind of killing becomes possible. He accuses those on the left of demonizing people like Kirk — comparing them to Nazis or other extreme villains — using evil or dehumanizing language.

ABC's WISN in Milwaukee wrote that...

Former President Joe Biden posted on X, "There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now. Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones."

[...]

Former President Barack Obama responded on X as well, saying, "We don’t yet know what motivated the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy. Michelle and I will be praying for Charlie’s family tonight, especially his wife Erika and their two young children."

[...]

After the shooting but before Kirk's death was confirmed, California Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote on X, "The attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile, and reprehensible. In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form."

On the same platform, Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker wrote that political violence "should never become the norm."

Hmm... who seems to be using the most radical? I aske myself is it the result of the Echo Chamber Effect that I think Trump rhetoric is he driving force behind the rancor over the killing?

Then I questioned what are the polls showing, do they show that the Echo Chamber Effect is distorting my views on the murder? Well there the Echo Chamber Effect is in full effect! Republican voters blame Democrats and Democrats blame the Republicans (Another surprised be that?) and according to the Miami Herald "A 29% plurality of independents said it comes from both sides."

So no surprises there the Echo Chamber Effect is in full bore... Republicans: its the Democrats fault, Democrats its the Republicans fault, and the Independent voter: its both sides are at fault! As Gemini AI replied when asked which party has the most violent rhetoric replied: The key takeaway is that the issue is highly partisan and perceptions are often shaped by one's own political identity and recent events.

I am reminded of a song from Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Origins of Love... the part where Zeus said,

Said "I'll split them right down the middle

Gonna cut them right up in half"

And the storm clouds gathered above

Into great balls of fire

That imagery feels weirdly appropriate for this moment. The storm clouds have gathered, and we’re all walking around half-whole, convinced the other side is the real problem.

Maybe the real danger isn’t who’s yelling the loudest—maybe it’s that we’ve stopped listening altogether.