Introduction:
The divide between political ideologies has been a recurring issue throughout history. However, with the rise of social media and online communications, this polarization has become more apparent and contentious. In recent years, there has been a growing concern about the negative and divisive nature of online communications between people with opposing political views, and it has sparked debates about whether it is the liberal or conservative ideologies that are more negative and divisive in online discussions.
To fully comprehend the issue at hand, it is necessary to understand the role of social media in shaping public opinion and discourse. Social media platforms have become a major source of information for people, and they provide individuals with a platform to voice their opinions and engage in discussions with others. Unfortunately, discussions on these platforms can often devolve into highly negative rhetoric. Studies suggest that people are more likely to engage in negative and divisive conversations on social media when they are surrounded by like-minded individuals in these online spaces.
In this text-mining project, we aim to analyze the content of political subreddits on Reddit to examine whether liberals or conservatives are more negative online. We will employ natural language processing techniques and machine learning algorithms to uncover patterns and trends in conversations. The project's goal is to provide valuable insights into the current state of online conversations and the role of social media in the increasing political polarization of our society. Through the project's findings, we hope to gain a deeper understanding of how different political ideologies perceive each other online, and ultimately, take steps towards reducing the online negativity and division in the society.
In addition to examining the negativity and divisiveness of political discussions, this text-mining project will also seek to explore the language and themes used by individuals with different political ideologies. By analyzing the content of political subreddits on Reddit, we can gain a better understanding of the unique characteristics and perspectives associated with liberal and conservative ideologies, as well as the ways in which they interact with and respond to each other online. Through this analysis, we hope to shed light on the underlying causes of political polarization on social media and contribute to efforts to promote more productive and respectful discussions online.
One crucial aspect to consider in this text-mining project is the potential impact of online polarization on the broader society. Online polarization can have far-reaching consequences, including decreased social cohesion, increased political polarization, and reduced democratic participation. Therefore, it is crucial to analyze the language and themes used in political discussions and explore the potential real-world effects of these online interactions. This project will uncover insights that can inform policy decisions and strategies for promoting more constructive and inclusive online conversations. By identifying the factors contributing to online polarization, we can take steps toward mitigating its adverse effects and fostering a more united and informed society.
Data:
Data Scraping:
Here is the function that was used to filter out any posts that were deleted, removed, blank, or consisted only of images or links as to only look at textual data.