Echo Chamber Reflection

 

Important echo chambers in my life are centralized around the places I have lived and people I have worked with. Living in San Diego, the East Coast, and abroad has impacted my worldviews by expanding my cultural knowledge. A recent echo-chamber I have escaped from is my generalization of organized religion. For my religious studies class, I recently interviewed someone of a "different" religion than mine. I was astounded by what the person I had interviewed had to say. For them, their practice is something they often question freely and have differing views. I was shocked because, due to my generalizations, I thought this was not allowed. I previously viewed religion as an inflexible and harsh practice with strict guidelines. Now, leaving this echo chamber, I can see it has different significance and interpretations by everybody. My wrongful preconceptions made me ignorant and closed off to anything non-secular. Conducting the interview for my paper has expanded my agency by making me less close minded. In the future I shall refrain from making rash generalizations that inhibit my ability to connect with others. By being open minded I can open myself up to new ideas and form new meaningful friendships. I can learn from people who disagree with me by practicing active listening and trying to understand what is being said and relate it to my own life.