Reflection on the echo chamber and what you can learn from people who disagree with you.

The Dictionary defines Echo Chamber as "an environment in which a person encounters only beliefs or opinions that coincide with their own, so that their existing views are reinforced and alternative ideas are not considered:" For me, the biggest echo chamber in my life is my family. After returning from Hawaii, I began working on my family's orchard and without realizing it I had been caught in the echo chamber of my family's beliefs and ideals. While at first it was refreshing to be back with people who believed the same things as me and thought the same, over time I saw my agency being limited. I began to feel restricted, limited, and unheard as day after day I fell into a routine that was unhealthy for both my physical and mental states. Fortunately, I found an escape through college; although it was intimidating at first, I began to have conversations with my peers and professors, and although I may have had different beliefs or viewpoints, just engaging with the college environment helped to widen my perspective. College has expanded my agency, not only though the experience of a new environment, but also by helping me realize that growth takes time and by completing assignments, projects, and exams I can keep growing in order to get to where I would like to be in the future. One of the ways I can avoid echo chambers in my life, is by engaging in conversations with someone who might have different a view than me, and push myself to listen, learn, and appreciate their differing viewpoints. Instead of trying to win an argument, it will be beneficial to understand where they are coming from or their reasons, so that I can expand my own agency but understanding more about them as a person instead of belittling or fighting them.

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