Break out of your information bubble

Is it over yet? How can we avoid this next time? Can we?

As we enter the final stretch of one of the most contentious, divided electoral cycles in U.S. history, I think it is important to reflect upon how we got to this point and how we can avoid it in future cycles. Many in the communications industry have spoken about "information bubbles" or "news bubbles" which are created by the bias we all have and the way in which we receive and consume information. These bubbles have become more and more defined as technology and consumption habits have changed.

Sixty percent of all Facebook and Twitter users receive their news exclusively through the social media platforms. This poses a particularly prescient problem. Social media platforms not only censor through self-determined interests, their algorithms are also set up to deliver information it thinks you find more interesting or align with your opinions. Add to that, the proliferation of opinion based "news" outlets, both online and broadcast, which deliver little more than perspective. This nexus of technology and habits create an almost impenetrable information bubble. It is only natural that people have dug in and become even more partisan as it is obvious to the least aware person that people gravitate to those with whom they agree and information sources which support preconceived notions. Making things worse, technology and media advances, which prey upon that inclination, have created the perfect information bubble disaster we find ourselves in today. The strength of our society is dependent on the breadth, and collective understanding, of diverging thought and our information creation and consumption system is in direct conflict with that goal.

So, how do you break out of your bubble? The answer seems simple but the practice takes commitment.

Below is a simple three step process to apply to your daily news/information consumption life to help broaden your sources and improve your information/news consumption:

1) Audit: Think about how you receive information in a typical day. Do you physically read a news paper, do you read it online? What type of news programming do you watch, if any. What topics are you drawn to, which are you repelled by. Do you read an entire article or just skim. Do you actually go to news websites or are you going to website from Facebook and Twitter links? Do you have an RSS feed or Google Alerts? Evaluate each piece you consume. What is the source? Is it news or opinion? Does it expand your understanding or provide new information? It is important to understand your habits before you can make any substantive changes to your routine and sources.

2)  Change your identified habits: You must change from a passive consumer of information to an active consumer of information. Give yourself no less than 30 minute of active news consumption a day. If you depend on friends and people/organizations you follow for your news, stop. If you depend on news alerts, Google alerts, RSS feeds to provide your news, stop. If you watch one news broadcast, cable station, local affiliate, mix it up. If you do not subscribe to at least one newspaper, news magazine, etc. subscribe! (I recommend at least one local news paper, one national newspaper and one national news magazine). If you frequent blog-sites, media repackaging sites or hyper-partisan political sites, stop. Aside from subscribing to newspapers, I suggest mixing up your daily news intake and recommend staying away from opinion based sources and shows unless they provide an opposing viewpoint. If you are a Fox News junkie, move to MSNBC, or even better, watch PBS Newshour. Avoid the "breaking news" trap where you receive redundant information about a single news item of the day. If you remain on the "politics" tab of CNN but never venture into other areas of the site, you are limiting your exposure to the stories of the day. In turn, if you remain on CNN for the majority of your news, you will not learn of other important local, national and international news stories shaping our world. Think of it this way, 20 years ago a person would sit down, read and browse the entire newspaper and encounter information and topics of which they would not have sought out on their own. It broadened their knowledge of various topics and helped strengthen their perspective and ability to critically think.

3. Remain vigilant: As is always the case, changing one's habits is a difficult process and all of us will relapse from time to time. Technology has made us passive consumers of information and extremely easy to just let things come to us rather than have us seek them out. Intellectual curiosity is essential for a strong, informed populace, becoming too dependent on information technology and algorithm delivery systems weaken intellectual curiosity and thus weaken us as a society. It is up to you to avoid being the weak link.

CBP STRATEGIES: The Concept

For many years, in various roles throughout the communications, marketing, advocacy and business environments, I felt a pang in the pit of my stomach. I repeatedly found myself asking the question:  "Am I doing right by me, my family and the world in which I live?"

I am not unique. We all find ourselves questioning who we are and what we are doing from time to time—but this was more. This was about my place in the world and in its future. Maybe becoming a father had been the catalyst in some way.  I would regularly think about what I SHOULD be doing to help my community or the world. Then, I would convince myself that I was only but one person, the world's problems too big and the participant environment too divided. But those were just excuses.

We all have heard the quote, "If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem." No matter who said it first, or the loudest, it rings true in many aspects of life and business. With CBP STRATEGIES, I decided I would be a part of the solution. No longer would I hypocritically complain about everyone else' lack of conviction and action. I decided to marry my professional life to my personal thinking and conviction to help those dedicated to finding solutions to big problems. In turn, it would allow me more flexibility to help find solutions as well.

I initially wanted to invent something, create something or initiate something. I quickly decided, rather than strain myself to create a half-rate product, concept or solution, my talents and experience would be best used by those already tackling the world's problems. I am motivated to help those who do not have the time, or background, to communicate strategically and effectively within a quickly evolving environment. 

As CBP's website illustrates, the communications, marketing and business world has evolved immensely, yet many agencies have yet to catch up strategically. But before I point the finger, I have to clarify that this is not completely their fault. Most of their business models have not evolved as quickly as the industry in which they reside. In turn, agency clients are sold legacy services and tactical thinking that, quite honestly, waste their money and/or time. Many agency folk have realized this, but they continue to sell ideas, services and outdated solutions because they don't know how to evolve.

That is where CBP can help and bridge the gap between a client's need and and agency's services. CBP is not about billable hours or selling additional services to improve its bottom-line. Currency is compensation, but it doesn't always have to be money. Helping those committed to the community and improving the world around them has benefits of their own, as does providing the best, most effective solution. I'd rather have a client that is happy with the result of a strategy than have a few extra dollars in my pocket. 

Addressing a client's real needs helps create a long-term advocate; that's the type of currency money can't buy.