Living in Bubbles
I have always found utility in living within bubbles. Long before Australopithecus introduced bipedal locomotion, I suspect its precursors discovered that small-group living offered clear survival advantages. It’s not a stretch to imagine that these early tribes had shared worldviews that differed from the tribe across the holler. These bubbles—tight-knit groups—provided security and a more satisfying life than solitary existence.
Back then, bubbles were essential. But with the advent of instant communication, the internet, and the ubiquity of social media, our bubbles have both proliferated and, paradoxically, shrunk. It’s easier than ever to isolate ourselves from anything that doesn’t align with our beliefs. Some of these new bubbles even remove us from our physical surroundings entirely. The result? A society increasingly defined by isolation and personalized information cocoons.
We are surrounded by bubbles—some chosen, some not:
- The Bubble of Information
It’s effortless to consume only the information that confirms what we already believe. Sometimes, it’s not even a conscious choice. Google News, for example, tailors its homepage based on your past activity. Search for something new a few times and, like magic, that topic starts showing up every day. It’s a highly effective information bubble that reinforces existing interests and viewpoints.
- The Bubble of Social Media
Social media takes this even further. Many people get their news from platforms that make no effort to prioritize facts. Anecdotes dominate. And the phrase “someone said” has enormous power. This creates a spiral where people firmly believe absurdities—like “Statins are a scam”—despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
Disturbingly, 54% of U.S. adults get news from social media at least occasionally, and a third rely on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, or Reddit.[1] On these platforms, truth is elusive, and “facts” are fluid. A 2018 MIT study found that false news spreads six times faster on Twitter than true stories—and is 70% more likely to be retweeted.[2]
- The Bubble of Physical Comfort
For those in developed countries with access to reliable utilities, we’ve mastered our environment. Heating and air conditioning blur the lines between seasons. We can live nearly unaffected by the natural world, cocooned in temperature-controlled spaces and artificial light. The result is a kind of disconnection from nature—and perhaps from reality.
- The Bubble of Distraction
We’re never more than a tap away from distraction. Earbuds during a walk drown out the wind and the birds. Streaming media fills every silence. Even blasting the car radio can isolate us. (“Honest, officer—I didn’t hear the siren.”)
- The Bubble of Geography
Where we live shapes how we think. You don’t choose your birthplace, but your location influences your values and worldview. Life in small-town Nebraska bears little resemblance to life in East LA. These geographic bubbles may not be voluntary, but they’re undeniably powerful.
- The Bubble of Time
We don’t choose when we’re born, either—but the era we live in shapes everything. Imagine being born 100 or 1,000 years ago. You’d still be you, but your reality would be unrecognizable. Some argue only the present moment is real but ignoring the past means missing critical context for today’s events.
- The Bubble of On-Demand Media
It’s never been easier to live inside your own curated media universe. In 2022, Nielsen estimated that over 800,000 streaming titles were available in the U.S. alone.[3] No one has to agree on what to watch—or even acknowledge that other viewpoints exist.
- The Bubble of the Over-Protected Child
The protective bubble isn’t limited to adults. Many parents personally drive their children to school, while school buses idle nearby. Sure, it’s convenient—but there’s value in riding the bus: socializing without supervision, developing independence.
Even when kids do ride the bus, many are escorted to the driveway, then watched until they’re safely aboard. The bubble of safety is well-meaning—but it can also insulate children from learning self-reliance. - The Bubble of the Car
This may be the best manifestation of the power of the bubble. It is not challenging to see this bubble in action. Distracted drivers, drivers who are unaware that the lever on the steering column is a turn signal (although I suspect they appreciate it when someone else uses the signal), drivers who think it is acceptable to travel in the far right lane of an interstate when they aren’t passing anyone, people who race past in the right lane when there is a merge ahead because they want to be in front of as many cars as possible. I’m not sure why they think that makes any sense as it will have a diminishingly small impact on their destination arrival time. They are cloistered inside the steel cage of their car where their only relevant thing to them is themselves.
So What Does It All Mean?
We are living through a massive, systemic “bubblefication” of human life. Facts are increasingly chosen for emotional comfort, not objective truth. Our digital and social environments reinforce what we already believe, while isolating us physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Ultimately, this leads to the formation of larger, more insular tribes—groups of like-minded people who reject opposing views and define reality within their own bubbles. It would be nice to end on an optimistic note, but I don’t see a path forward that avoids bubbles altogether.
Society is a complex adaptive system. It evolves in unpredictable ways, beyond any one person’s control. All we can do is stay aware, enjoy the ride, and recognize that we’re living in a pivotal moment in human evolution—where the invisible walls we build around ourselves may end up defining who we become and what society will look like in the future.
[1] https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/social-media-and-news-fact-sheet/
Confronting Mediocrity 