Page 6 - INSIGHT MAGAZINE_October 2024

CE0'S MESSAGE

Social media the scourge

of political process

I’m not sure you are with me on this, From my 16,000-foot view away, I don’t see
but I am perplexed and concerned her as a dictator undermining democracy.
about the anger and vitriol But there is no question about it, the Trump
campaign has found staying power with its
commentary coming from not only base by avoiding policy and attacking with
politicians, but more so these days brutality.
from the voting public. Harris’ team, on the other hand, is using "The Chamber will create
I recall the early days of the environmental subtle attacks by having her repeat that
movement and the efforts made to get as a former District and State Attorney, “I the necessary momentum
politicians to believe it should be a concern know Donald Trump’s type”, referring to the to nurture and champion
for everyone, especially considering the 34 charges he was found guilty of.
mild winters we’ve been experiencing. What has changed in politics? Certainly not success by bringing together
Many blamed politicians for not acting fast the process since we live in a democracy the elements – on all sides
enough. However, in all fairness to them, that provides us with the opportunity to
it was the voters who put “climate” further make, hopefully, an informed a choice of an issue – to successfully
down the list of priorities of what they every four years after following election cultivate all that is good,
wanted their government to do for them. campaigns covered by the media. Sure, and can be good, in our
However, it did ignite the creation of the there are some mainstream media (MSM)
Green Party, and while their optimism and outlets that have a bias, some more community."
frustration often appeared to be on high noteworthy than others, but at the core
volume, back then there wasn’t much name there are facts being reported. Sure, they Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing photos
calling, lying, fabricating and conspiracy edit and can pick out the worst of the online of family and friends living their
theories surrounding this issue. worst, but it’s not like they are reporting lives, but there seem to be less of that
In the 1980s, the Free Trade Agreement things that didn’t occur. I remember compared to all the other trash which
seems to fill our social media feeds.
was the big issue, and the Progressive when John Tory, while vying to be Ontario Someone really needs to figure out how
Conservative Party led by Brian Mulroney Premier, supported universal government many posts are valid compared to the
won a majority government by making funding for all schools. Frankly, that wasn’t amount which are strictly someone’s
it the focus of the campaign. However, the whole story, but nonetheless, the MSM opinion or false.
while the Liberals, led by John Turner, and reported it and he fell off the cliff in terms
the NDP, led by Ed Broadbent, vigorously of support. Communication is important I read a tweet recently by someone with
campaigned hard against the FTA, there and can derail or rev up a campaign. 1.2 million followers, a Trump supporter,
were no stones being thrown, literally or But today’s election campaigns have who posted that Harris was not eligible
figuratively. turned on MSM, calling them “fake news”, to run for President because she wasn’t
Today, every social media stream is filled calling out their reporters, vilifying the born in the U.S. Well, despite that some
Republicans don’t want to believe
with vitriol commentary aimed not at the industry in favour of… you guessed it, their California is even in the U.S., she was in
ideas, but rather at the people behind own made-up reporting on social media. fact born in Oakland, CA. But the problem
them. There appears to be a feeling that Right after the 2015 federal election where is, potentially 1.2 million followers of this
we need to beat people down because it’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau moved from person may now believe that tweet. I
believed this is the only way to get them to third place to first place with a majority also read a post where a U.S. senator has
change their minds, or the only way we can government, The Globe and Mail published promised that if the Republicans win the
convince others to think the same way. a story saying that former prime minister Senate, he is going to reopen the case on
While Canada’s national election campaign Stephan Harper was the most builled former president Barack Obama’s birth
hasn’t started (officially), we’re seeing this politician. Today, he wouldn’t even be in certificate.
scenario play out in the United States’ the top 1,000 and comparatively got off Stupid posts like these create the chaos
election race as actual policies take a easy because Facebook and 'X' (formerly we are experiencing and now that the
backseat to insults and taunts. Twitter) weren’t in the public domain until horse is out of the barn, there is no putting
after he was elected.
Former U.S. president Donald Trump now it back in.
refers to his opponent, Vice-President It took a few years for people to understand If the executives of these social media
Kamala Harris, as ‘Comrade Kamala’, how easy it was to hide behind a keyboard giants get a kick out of the chaos they’ve
suggesting that she would move the U.S. in and say anything they liked. created, they will never do anything to
the direction of communism.

6 Fall 2024 www.cambridgechamber.com