How to Celebrate a Holiday with Zero Political Fighting: Focus on Facts Instead of Ideologies and Policies Instead of Individuals
Young people in Korea are initiating a movement to clean their parents' YouTube algorithms to avoid politically charged content during holiday family gatherings.
In the lead-up to traditional Korean holidays, a movement among young adults has emerged to help alleviate family tensions stemming from political differences. This initiative, dubbed the 'algorithm cleansing movement,' involves individuals like Jeon A-mu-gae, who recently blocked several conspiracy theory channels on their parents' YouTube accounts. These young people aim to minimize exposure to extreme political content by enhancing their parents' viewing habits with non-political videos, attempting to alter what the algorithm suggests. This trend is seen as a response to the growing frequency of disputes over political views in families, reflecting broader societal issues regarding misinformation in media.
Experts suggest that rather than allowing political conversations to escalate into arguments, family members should focus on dialogue rooted in facts rather than ideologies, and on policies rather than personal figures. This approach encourages respectful dialogue where individuals can acknowledge differing political perspectives while correcting misrepresented facts gently and collaboratively. This method promotes productive discussion and attracts attention to policies that could benefit all rather than focusing on divisive ideologies, which often lead to disputes during family gatherings.
Professor Jeong Nak-won from Seoul Women's University emphasizes the importance of understanding how misinformation spreads and addressing it by providing credible sources of information. He suggests that discussions around political issues should avoid confrontational tactics and instead focus on presenting balanced perspectives via trusted media, thus encouraging parents to reflect critically on the content they consume on platforms like YouTube. This strategy aims not only to ease tensions during family holidays but also to cultivate a healthier environment for politically sensitive discussions amongst family members.