Synopsis
At the crossroads between THE SHALLOWS and PRESENCE, HIVEMIND is a provocative exploration of how social media is changing human behavior--and how we can protect ourselves.
With the advent of social media and smartphones, the hive mentality has changed the way we see the world. Tribes can coalesce around any topic, belief structure, or shared experience-- sometimes for the good, like crowd funded Kickstarter campaigns to support survivors of natural disasters, but just as often with dangerous results. We create echo chambers that reaffirm our ideas, shut out rebuttals, and isolate us from differing perspectives. Leading a narrative journey from a New England apiary to Charlottesville, from zombies to the KKK to the boardrooms of Facebook, Cavanagh leaves no stone unturned in her quest to understand how group behavior is evolving--and what we can do to come back from the polarized brink.
Our emotions and decisions are influenced heavily by what we see online and in our self-selected community in ways we're not even aware of. But there is a way back to the larger world, and Dr. Cavanagh's fascinating book explores the latest research that shows how to cut through the tribalism of our online hives. With compelling storytelling and shocking research, HIVEMIND is a must read for anyone struggling to make sense of the dissonance around us.
