Lack of Youtube Comment Sections' Political Diversity

[Marrybore]

It's very interesting to see, as I was browsing through Youtube comments, the different attitudes of people who comment on different videos. It seems that people only like to watch the kind of video that suits them, and this results in a startling lack of variety in the comment sections of these videos, but a stark contrast between two comment sections of different videos that take a different ideological standpoint.

For instance, here are a handful of comments from Stephen Colbert's video in which he comments on Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death.



"Remember all those people who clap and cheer at his rallies when he says disgusting things. Remember them. They will still be here after Trump is gone."
"Some people say the chant was disrespectful, I think it represents everything Ginsberg stood for. Speak your mind even if your voice shakes."
"Even if you've been a Republican your whole life, this year you need to make an exception for the sake of the nation."
"America is really bad at democracy for a country obsessed with freedom."
"Trump is a Mussolini wannabee. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you: THE TRUMPOLINI !!"
"This is literally the most dangerous time for America ever. We have an insane sociopath demagogue in the WH."
"Pretty Please help everyone VOTE. In my district they are raising confederate flags not lowering them. History NOT HATE is a fake narrative. My 91 year old Mother says a trump was passing gas when she grew up. So Yes history can repeat itself let’s pass this gas together."
[OK, a little difficult to tell who that last guy is voicing support for].

Anyway, compare that to the comments on a Fox News Youtube video, announcing "the Left's extreme reaction to Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death":



"The Left and the Media are terrorists at this point"
"It's time to start killing Dems"
"RGB looks like a ugly troll from the tribe that our controlled media tells us is “our greatest ally”, like some distorted monstrosity from the Lord of the Rings..."
"Bunch of animals. They all are."
"People should show up to Pelosi's house"
"How do we know they were her dying words and not something made up by the Demonrats?"
"The left has always been ruthless. Now they're RUTHless, heh"
"No weeping from my side - Guinsbourg was a represenatative of the New World Order and her eyes were very evil!!"

It just seems that no-one watches videos to get the other guy's perspective anymore, you know what I mean?

 

[ElChupacabra]

Yep. Circle jerks are easier to sit through than critiques.


From a media perspective, it's all about the echo chambers; this slants the news even further since it needs to target a specific demographic more so than presenting objective reporting.

 

[Moot]

I'd have to say that Tuckers audience is a lot more hateful and dangerous than Colbert's.

Perhaps, Dems should start arming themselves.

 

[Jredbaron96]

It's natural tendency for people to gravitate towards like minded views.

 

[noonereal]

It just seems that no-one watches videos to get the other guy's perspective anymore, you know what I mean?

Psychology 101

man is filled with biases. It's hard coded into us to seek out info that agrees with what we perceive is in our best interest, our tribes best interest. (confirmation bias)

The more we support our beliefs the stronger they become because it makes us feel comfortable, less fearful.

So if you are expecting people to start watching things that challenge their beliefs you are never gonna be happy because it is never going to happen.