Re Echo Chambers
Echo chambers are by nature generally authoritarian in nature.
There is a mechanism where censors have the power to remove disenters and prevent critical thought and differing voices.
MN isn't perfect, and has problems with censorship, but it doesn't ban people outright merely for having a view 'from the wrong side'.
As long as posters are respectful they anyone with a dissenting view is able to post and participate.
The issue with echo chambers is how the restrict and prevent critical thought deliberately via things like block lists.
People in them can not even see an opposing argument, never mind mind critically look at it and decide they don't like it or actually someone might have a point there too.
MN is the only place which is allowing critical thought on some of these issues, and this is then spilling out elsewhere as people raise points which are thought provoking and worthy of further examination and consideration.
It is the antidote to the echo chamber and what has driven debate and is flagging up concerns which have been deliberately swept under the carpet, at the very human cost to some people.
Personally I'd LIKE to follow a few more opposing views on twitter - but I'm blocked from doing so, purely because I follow certain accounts. I don't tweet myself so, I'm not actually spreading anything via twitter - I'm just reading.
I think mass block lists should be actively banned for this reason. Its one thing to block individuals for a personal issue, but I have a problem with it being done to block entire political views.
I try and deliberately read and examine a range of views and ideas - ESPECIALLY if they conflict with mine as they can be the most useful and helpful of them all.
I DON'T WANT to listen to views that are all the same.
Life isn't like that.