This is the first election I will ever vote in. And I think I speak for some when I say that really, many of us are very sick of the coverage on the elections. Not because we don't want to listen to what others have to say, but because of the way people are saying things.
I like it when people agree with what I say. But I like it even more when people disagree. As much as it is uncomfortable to meet an opposing view, for a person to disagree, it means that they were listening to what you said. They have something new to offer you, a viewpoint to exchange and ponder over. After all, if the people around you agree with everything you say, you need new friends.
And I often find that I learn most from those who disagree with me. The mistake in dealing with such people is to shut out what they have to say, believing steadfastly that one is right, a misguided stance in the name of pride. The person who thinks he has heard it all, or learnt all there is to learn about the elections, he is someone you should be wary of. All of us work within the limits of bounded rationality, but it is important that we are humble enough to realise that we are fallible, and not omniscient. For the future of Singapore, I think it is our responsibility to make the most informed decision we can.
However, this does not mean that my willingness to partake in discussing others' views should be taken for granted. I believe that in any mature discussion, it is a two-way process. This means that as much as I respect your views, I do not want them shoved down my throat, especially since I am not doing that to you.
And one of those places where it is becoming most prevalent is Facebook, a social medium that aggregates the like-minded. Often, the moderate rational voice finds it difficult to share, for fear of being shunned by the partisan crowd. Peter Yeo, the deputy digital editor at TODAY says it best in this article "Dont fall into the populist trap this election", especially in this paragraph.
"It is my observation that social media (not all of it, of course) breeds bullies. As the thread builds, it creates a hive mentality. Any dissenters are quickly dispatched and chased out of the swarm, no matter if they make a reasonable argument. More often than not, newcomers are viewed with suspicion until they corroborate the hive's mentality. This makes the argument even more one-sided as all other views are not welcomed or are sanitised in favour of the group."
And there are many such bullies on Facebook. So many, that I've decided to take a break from the medium till sanity resumes.