Why Is It Bad that World Politics Is Radicalized on Facebook and Twitter?

Published in Estadao
(Brazil) on 3 November 2015
by Gustavo Chacra (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Jane Dorwart. Edited by Laurence Bouvard.
The current Palestinian attacks against Israelis are encouraged by social networks. Social networks also help the Islamic State recruit members on the World Wide Web and propagandize its bloody activities. Social networks have inflamed tempers around the world and polarized almost every country. Don't think it is just Brazil that is now polarized. In the U.S., it is even worse. The same goes for Israel, Turkey, Russia, Germany, Argentina, Iran and Lebanon.

In the United States, Obama can be the greatest hero or the biggest villain depending on whom you speak to and where you live. In Syria, Assad can be a perpetrator of genocide to some and to others a hero for combating Islamic terrorism and defending minority religions, such as Christians. Erdogan literally divides Turkey down the middle with his ambitions to be some kind of new "sultan." In Lebanon, there are those who hate Hezbollah, those who tolerate it, and those who support it and are members. In Iran, some dream of democracy. Others think the regime of the ayatollahs is democratic.

It does not matter where. Social networks are radicalizing people’s opinions — and it is this radicalization that causes violence, as we see on the Intifada Facebook, as an Israeli wrote in The New York Times today. His father died after being stabbed by a Palestinian terrorist, incited by social networks.

In Brazil, especially Sao Paulo, I am scared by the polarization, especially around Mayor Haddad. Some idolize him and consider him to be the best mayor in the history of Sao Paulo. Others assess him to be the worst, someone who is destroying the city. What seems certain, in all countries, is that center and good sense are ending. People don't want to hear from those who have a different point of view anymore.


Por que é ruim a radicalização da política mundial no Facebook e no Twitter?

Os atuais ataques palestinos contra israelenses são incitados pelas redes sociais. As redes sociais também servem para o ISIS (Grupo Estado Islâmico ou Daesh) recrutarem membros ao redor do mundo e para fazer propaganda de suas atividades sanguinárias. As redes sociais têm acirrado os ânimos ao redor do mundo e polarizado praticamente todos os países.
Não achem que apenas o Brasil anda polarizado. Nos EUA, é até pior. O mesmo vale para Israel. Para a Turquia. Para a Rússia. Para a Alemanha. Para a Argentina. Para o Irã. Para o Líbano.
Nos EUA, Obama pode ser o maior herói ou o maior vilão dependendo de quem você conversa e onde você vive. Na Síria, Assad pode ser genocida para alguns, mas um herói para outros por combater o terrorismo islâmico e defender minorias religiosas, como os cristãos. Erdogan literalmente divide a Turquia ao meio com suas ambições de ser uma espécie de novo “sultão”. No Líbano, há os que odeiam o Hezbollah, os que toleram, os que apoiam e os que são membros. No Irã, alguns sonham com a democracia. Outros acham o regime dos aiatolás democráticos.
Não interessa onde, as redes sociais estão radicalizando a opinião das pessoas. E esta radicalização causa violência, como vemos na Intifada do Facebook, como escreveu um israelense hoje no New York Times – o pai dele morreu ao ser esfaqueado por um terrorista palestino incitado pelas redes sociais. No Brasil, especialmente em São Paulo, fico assustado com a polarização em torno do prefeito Haddad. Alguns o idolatram e o consideram o melhor prefeito da história de São Paulo. Outros, avaliam que ele é o pior e está destruindo a cidade.
O certo, em todos estes países, é que o centro e o bom senso está acabando. As pessoas não querem mais ouvir quem tem um ponto de vista diferente do delas.
This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

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1 COMMENT

  1. The writer ignores a fundamental axiom of Marxism : the ruling ideas are the ideas of the ruling class. The real CLASS STRUGGLE is reflected in this social media polarization. As a democratic Socialist I want to know ALL points of view. I want nobody silenced by ” more balanced ” ruling class bureaucrats. It is respectable drivel to assume that TRUTH and SANITY are always found in the philistine middle.
    I can see why establishment news media feel threatened by the political independence of COMMENTS. Just recently I heard a right wing radio talk show host in Rhode Island ( Gene Valicenti, 630wpro.com ) suggest on air that newspaper COMMENT opportunities should be banned-not monitored but BANNED. I don’t worry so much about polarization as I do about the suffocation FREE SPEECH.
    The TRUTH itself is always and everywhere subversive. TRUTH cannot serve the oppressors and exploiters of this world.

    Too bad for them that TRUTH has a SOCIALIST ring to it.
    [http://radicalrons.blogspot.com ]