Ending my relationship with fringe conservative media
Ditching the conservative echo chamber without leaving the movement.
I’m a lifelong conservative. A staunch supporter of free market principals and liberty. A true believer in the cause. I’ve spent the last decade working with conservative candidates, elected leaders, and party activists. Last night during the horrific attacks in Dallas I decided enough is enough. No longer will I read or give attention to hyper partisan news entities or the conservative echo chamber.
I hardly slept at all last night. I am a new father increasingly interested in the world my young daughter will grow up in. After becoming a parent these kinds of horrific events like the one in Dallas or the shootings in Minneapolis and Baton Rouge really force one to think. I remember not long ago when tragic events used to bring us together as a nation. Now because of increasingly powerful and extreme echo chambers on the right and left these events tear us apart.
The political discourse on social networks was sickening. I read racist messages, users calling for more cop killings, and most disheartening of all activists from both sides of the aisle following other “leaders” of their respective movements without even questioning the arguments made.
The conservative movement is going through a tumultuous time without a clear understanding of who the leaders are. Ask any conservative activist who they consider the current leader of conservatism and you will hear a variety of names, places, and even organizations. This has unfortunately opened the door to media entities, personalities, and opportunists whose sole concern is often themselves or their clicks. We need a leader(s) who is willing to move the masses away from hate and closer toward solutions. Leaders whose incentives are to serve the American people and not serve their own egos. Leaders who above all are honest and good people. These leaders will not come from talk radio, or fringe blogs, but backgrounds of proven results, intellect, and leadership. Anyone can be a political shock jock, but not everyone can be a solutions oriented leader.
The Digital Political Environment
In the clickbait era, media entities, aggregators, and blogs are trying to generate clicks through absurdities, fear mongering, and lies. Since Wall Street and Silicon Valley have defined success online as clicks there is little incentive to actually create content that is read. This behavior has stoked the fire in the political echo chamber and incentivizes an arms race of hyperbole. It has also conditioned readers to spend little time actually reading, instead making broad determinations based on the headline alone. When the Drudge Report links to “Black Lives Kill” this has real consequences.
I know some of my friends on the left will criticize me for saying that my prayers are with the families and the victims of the tragedies we’ve witnessed. To those who feel this way I want you to know that in my life prayer is very sacred, and by doing so I’m showing the upmost reverence and respect for these people and all of us. I also believe “faith without works is dead” and even if this is perceived as just another rant from another random conservative, I hope others will read and take into consideration our often lackadaisical approach toward political discourse and online interactions.
As an idealist and aspirational individual I hope our leadership vacuum is filled sooner than later. I hope a leader or group of leaders will usher conservatism into a new era of returned focus on free market principles and opportunity for all and that we will be able to reject hate, vitriol, and fear mongering. It is only through strong leadership that we will once again make the conservative movement an inviting and thoughtful place.
