From PBS NewsHour.

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When you talk to friends or family members, how do you get through people’s social media bubbles when your single conversation is merely a small moment compared to the constant stream of media shaping their views?

It’s a big problem, says Hakeem Oluseyi, astrophysicist and CEO of The Astronomical Society of the Pacific.
“I see it all around me. The public conversation shapes the private conversations. And right now, there’s a lot of polarization in those conversations, and that definitely should not be the case,” he said.

But arguments aren’t helpful, he added. It’s more important to engage with people and build bridges.

Science communicator Simon Clark said the current YouTube algorithm actually allows creators to tailor specific videos to specific audiences, what he calls “Trojan horse videos.” The title, thumbnail and first minute might appeal to someone with an opposing view, but the remainder of the video presents the facts, which he says people often “hate watch.”

That allows him to talk to people the way they’re used to hearing about a specific subject, in terms of tone, language and cultural markers.

“I think a big thing with science communication in general is meeting people where they are at,” Clark said. “You can’t expect people to come all the way over to you. You’ve got to meet people in terms of where they currently perceive a subject matter and then bring them towards where actual reality lies.”

Oluseyi and Clark took part in a special livestreamed Reddit “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) event called “Tipping Point – Turning Science Into Solutions,” hosted by science correspondent Miles O’Brien and digital anchor and correspondent Deema Zein.

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