Sunita

Checked my Birdsite feed earlier. It's full of Easter (religion more than giant rabbits or chocolate eggs), US politics, and more US politics. Even the non-US people I follow talk about US politics all the time. No wonder I fled.

I'm a political scientist! I care about politics. But the Birdsite's dominant mode is US-centric. Not sure if it's agenda-setting or first-mover advantage, but either way, it's frustrating.

Apr 16, 2017 at 3:32pmWeb
Show threadFrankie SaxxApr 16, 2017
@sunita this this this this.
Show threadSunitaApr 16, 2017
@frankiesaxx It's bizarre. So many tweets about #USpolitics from people who barely understand how it works. It's #politainment for them.
Show threadFrankie SaxxApr 16, 2017
@sunita I never realized until politics on birdsite how many people just make shit up and believe it because that's how they want it to be.
Show threadSunitaApr 16, 2017
@frankiesaxx The more you know about a topic, the more frustrating the birdsite presentation is, unless you're following good journalists or actual (not self-professed) experts.
Show threadMatt Cropp (now @ social.coop)Apr 19, 2017

@sunita @frankiesaxx This is one of the best widely digestible bits of #agitprop on this topic that I've come across: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlptgqP_PEA

#Bordieu #situationist

Show threadworldsexplorerApr 18, 2017
@sunita Why do you think political discussion and large social media websites become US-centric? Has the US become such a large global power that it is inherently involved in most global issues or is there some other factor?
Show threadSunitaApr 18, 2017
@tomstance I think people justify their US focus (non-US ppl I mean) by the US's global influence, and they have a point. But it's also because it's the focus of so much social media chatter. If you want to be noticed, talk about US stuff. Not just politics but culture.
Show threadworldsexplorerApr 18, 2017
@sunita thanks for the reply! The current global political climate makes me feel like social media can never escape politics but I hope Mastodons global reach can outpace that
Show threadSunitaApr 18, 2017
@tomstance I don't think we should try to escape politics in general public spaces (b/c we are social and political beings embedded in politics-influenced spaces), but I like Masto's below-the-cut approach. There are great discussions going on, but people aren't involuntarily bombarded by them.
Show threadworldsexplorerApr 18, 2017
@sunita great point. I feel like I see a lot of posts saying "why do you have to bring politics into this" which I think is ironic because pretty much everything can become political!
Show threadSunitaApr 18, 2017
@tomstance For example, right now I care a lot about getting info on politics in Turkey, France, & the UK from ppl who are there and/or knowledgeable and/or directly affected. Not just the US. #yayheterogeneity