Since online discussions are seen as weapons against popular opinion, social media has undermined the idea of fostering candid dialogue.
Go to Kolkata's famous Indian Coffee House on College Street. When they're not sipping their hot "cha," you'll notice a group of people including college students, store owners, elderly men, women taking a break from work, and couples having rather in-depth conversations. There's always a seemingly endless stream of topics to discuss, ranging from politics to the drama in the neighbour's house. Adda is this universally adored concept of West Bengal that fascinates people. In simpler words, it is a communal discussion that is informal, has no time limit, and is usually conversed over tea or coffee. Once an adda is finished, the words stay behind and the participants continue with their lives, unbothered. While the art of Adda is predominately practised in West Bengal, the very idea of adda seems to be translated to global communication platforms namely social media. Social media can be considered as the digital ‘Addas’ for the new generation due to its flexible and open-ended nature. However, within the social media domain, there are concerns regarding the perceptions of having ‘opinions’ which contradict the notion of Adda.
In response to adda, social media plays a crucial factor in building and fostering discussions on various topics that concern this generation and the coming ones. Apart from adda where once the conversations are done, there is no physical proof of it, social media archives all such discussions that occur, maintaining such views for future generations as well. Preserving these ideas and perspectives over some time will nurture the values of discourse and the principles of community development and identity. The formation of communities is founded based on open communication of thoughts and concerns. Having analysed these aspects of social media being a platform for facilitating discussions, it is safe to say social media is this generation’s ‘Digital Adda’. However, in recent times it seems like conversing online leads to more intolerant and insecure feelings regarding opinions of the world. This discourse begs the question: Are discussions and conversations on social media making the audience more intolerant and narrowminded? People are afraid of simply conversing on the platforms as they do not want to be the next prey of hate or ‘cancel’ culture. Instead of brewing up new conversations and discussions regarding events happening in the world and social activities, social media users shut down any new or unique perspective of daily things. Social media puts everyone in flight-or-fight mode. Nothing is absorbed on a surface level anymore. Everything is personal and offensive. Even your neighbour eating pineapple pizza is offensive to your brother.
Adda helps facilitate various communities which foster safe environments and conversations for people. For society to progress, there needs to be some unity in mind. Adda is a concept which can be applied here. However, the new upcoming digital adda aka social media, is taking a turn for the worse — pitting communities and individuals against each other without reason. Social media algorithms frequently promote people's collective cognitive dissonance, which develops biased attitudes and ways of thinking. Every comment and video is a polemic. With people now communicating through the gates of social media, there is no intellectual exchange between people, but rather a one-sided communication. Social media nurtures what people want to see — not what they need to see.
Uploading content that reflects one's beliefs and then waiting to see how many people like and comment on that post indicate that other people share your beliefs is the essence of social media. The public's biased views are reinforced by this fixation on getting likes and fitting in. Hence the most mediocre views or opinions on certain topics cannot be shared or entertained on social media at face value, as it is usually done in an adda. Various ideas and points of view shared equally in Addas are viewed as an ‘attack on self’ on social media. The context of the conversations held online and offline are poles apart. There is no longer a collective identity or a sense of community on social media. It has become a point of contention.
The content that is uploaded on social media platforms is irrevocable. These platform users lack the stable mindset and empathy to avoid taking things personally when presented with an idea that is not widely accepted. Their opinions and rationality are being shaped by the social media algorithm and obsession with likes. News shared online is not meant to educate, but instead to force viewers to one-sided information increasing intolerance. Social media has become a breeding ground for bigotry in society as a result of the tense climate around the world!
