The power of Social media

[CaptTom]

To me, the problem is tribalism. We're somehow wired to pick "our" team, and stick by them no matter what.

It's definitely gotten worse in my lifetime. There used to be conservative Democrats, and liberal Republicans. It used to be important how well a politician represented their constituents, not how closely they followed their party's line, and parroted the daily talking points.

Now, everything anyone from "your" party says or does is evil, and must be stopped. Everything anyone from "my" party says or does is just and right, even if it's the opposite from what they said yesterday.

We're all just mindlessly rooting for our team.

I trace it back to the introduction of cable news. It used to be, there were three broadcast networks, and they were required by the FCC to "make time available to opposing views." They held on to viewers by maintaining journalistic integrity; only reporting facts and avoiding emotionally-charged words. When, in a moment of severe crisis, a newscaster would raise their voice, or make their opinion known, it was socking.

Now, it's required.

 

[Which Roger]

+1 to the tribalism. Remember that not everybody fell for the scam and showed up for the protest, only the ones who really wanted to believe what they were hearing and not question it. Perhaps they'll learn from their stupidity and not show up next time. And eventually we'll adjust to the social media manipulations and they won't be so effective.

 

[Pellice]

While I agree that tribalism IS our usual estate (I think it was Hobbs who put it, "The War of Each against All,") I don't think it's gotten worse in my lifetime. The huge strides made by the civil rights movement, the rise in the power of women (I DO remember employment sections labelled "women's," and "men's," and the relative rise in prosperity around the world have been helpful in lessening sheer tribalism. I am inspired by the goals and achievements of the European Union - one of the first experiments in deliberately lowering - voluntarily - the barriers of tribalism. I'm hopeful that those forces of tribalism, there and here, are NOT going to prevail.

There's been a great deal of quiet infiltration of the idea that we can and should exercise our imagination to put ourselves in others' shoes. Did anyone do that way back? The 19th century saw the beginnings of that, with the literature of abolitionism, and the novels of Dickens and others asking the reader to put himself or herself in the place of some wretched person. I remember reading the nonfiction book, "Black Like Me," as a required text. Things I had never thought about.

I can imagine the world view of "the other side," right now. I feel I can express their fears in words. I can also put my own assumptions into words. But where I stub my toe on tribalism is that I can't, or think I can't, get "the other side" to do the same. So tribalism is still there, but like the Freudian Id, we can combat it.

 

[pj.mask]

I keep seeing all this “main stream media” and maybe why I don’t understand those comments is I only read news.

When I travel and see the TV on, it’s a bunch of fluff to draw eyeballs with outrage. But if you actually only read news (actual news, not entertainment shows featured on news networks) it is pretty transparent and fact based.

The last several years have really seen escalation with some people blatantly lying on TV. The push to pick a side and only believe the facts that support your side may win an election but I worry about how this has and will continue to impact progress for the majority of the nation who just want things done and to move forward. Working across the isle/compromise use to be a good thing - now it gets you attacked by your own side.

 

[Chuckanut]

It illustrates the old saw about the "power" possessed by stupid people in large groups. Including the ability of others to harness that power for malicious ends.

Your comment reinforces the 4th and 5th Laws of Human Stupidity

Law 4: Non-stupid people always underestimate the damaging power of stupid individuals. In particular non-stupid people constantly forget that at all times and places and under any circumstances to deal and/or associate with stupid people always turns out to be a costly mistake.

Law 5: A stupid person is the most dangerous type of person.

https://qz.com/967554/the-five-universal-laws-of-human-stupidity/

 

[Rianne]

https://qz.com/967554/the-five-universal-laws-of-human-stupidity/

So, J. Oppenheimer was stupid according to the laws of stupidity. A parent might be stupid trying to help a stupid child. The only part of this article I agree with is the "bandit" part. I certainly don't think Bill Gates falls into the "helpless" category. He's benefited many at a loss to himself.
I know some intelligent people that do very stupid things (in my opinion, of course). Defining stupid is like defining A--hole. One man's A--hole is another man's hero.

 

[Chuckanut]

So, J. Oppenheimer was stupid according to the laws of stupidity. A parent might be stupid trying to help a stupid child. The only part of this article I agree with is the "bandit" part. I certainly don't think Bill Gates falls into the "helpless" category. He's benefited many at a loss to himself.
I know some intelligent people that do very stupid things (in my opinion, of course). Defining stupid is like defining A--hole. One man's A--hole is another man's hero.

I think you missed the point. Or the article was not clear. Perhaps it would be better to read the entire book written by the man who discovered these laws. It's short.

https://www.amazon.com/basic-laws-human-stupidity-Italian/dp/8815233814

 

[travelover]

The Mueller Report has a huge section describing how sophisticated the manipulation of social media was. ..........

And so did the Senate Intelligence Committee's just released report https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/09/sen...rolls-targeted-african-americans-in-2016.html

 

[HFWR]

And so did the Senate Intelligence Committee's just released report https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/09/sen...rolls-targeted-african-americans-in-2016.html

If the Russian’s do it, it’s “interference”. If homegrown media does it, it’s “freedom of speech”...

One must have at least some knowledge of politics, science, history, etc., or at least the natural curiosity and mental acuity to dig deeper, to have a chance at “healthy skepticism” in the face of so much BS.

Social media often reminds why newspapers tailor their articles for a fifth-grade reading level...

 

[athena53]

To me, the problem is tribalism. We're somehow wired to pick "our" team, and stick by them no matter what.

<snip>
Now, everything anyone from "your" party says or does is evil, and must be stopped. Everything anyone from "my" party says or does is just and right, even if it's the opposite from what they said yesterday.

I see so much of this. The most extreme was on the order of "ANY (Party A) candidate is better than EVERY (Party B) candidate". Mindless.

And twice in one day I saw a repost noting what Senate/House members were paid ($174,000/year) and the average SS check is $1,200/month, with hints that we should cut back Senate/House salaries and beef up SS payments. No one does the math- if you cut all the Senate/House representatives down to zero that would give each SS recipient another $1.50 annually. I will tactfully call BS on any mindless repost like this whether it supports my views or not- but by then the damage has been done and the re-posters have played into the hands of the people who created them to spread hate and dissension.

I still stay on FB- there are people whose posts I enjoy and I get to see pictures of my grandchildren- but a lot of what I see saddens and angers me.

 

[travelover]

If the Russian’s do it, it’s “interference”. If homegrown media does it, it’s “freedom of speech”..............

Yea, well that is the law. The founding fathers were sensitive to foreign influence in our affairs and we've historically tried to keep out foreign interference.

 

[HFWR]

Yea, well that is the law. The founding fathers were sensitive to foreign influence in our affairs and we've historically tried to keep out foreign interference.

My point being that some benefit from the disinformation, and therefore don’t call it out...

 

[Music Lover]

My point being that some benefit from the disinformation, and therefore don’t call it out...

And those who benefit are not always the obvious ones. Speaking as a non-American, your media is the last source you should trust.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

To me, the problem is tribalism. We're somehow wired to pick "our" team, and stick by them no matter what.

It's definitely gotten worse in my lifetime. There used to be conservative Democrats, and liberal Republicans. It used to be important how well a politician represented their constituents, not how closely they followed their party's line, and parroted the daily talking points.

Now, everything anyone from "your" party says or does is evil, and must be stopped. Everything anyone from "my" party says or does is just and right, even if it's the opposite from what they said yesterday.

We're all just mindlessly rooting for our team.

I trace it back to the introduction of cable news. It used to be, there were three broadcast networks, and they were required by the FCC to "make time available to opposing views." They held on to viewers by maintaining journalistic integrity; only reporting facts and avoiding emotionally-charged words. When, in a moment of severe crisis, a newscaster would raise their voice, or make their opinion known, it was socking.

Now, it's required.

I don't think what is portrayed in the media is very accurate of "everyday Americans." My entire life, I have been friends with those with differing views and would you believe we are all still friends? Ellen Degeneres did a great job of "explaining herself" to critics of her seemingly enjoying sitting next to George Bush at the NFL game...and I think that is how a majority of folks think. Yes, it's easy to be a keyboard ninja and Twitter is really nothing more than a troll fest, but generally speaking, I think most of us get along. Yes, there are crazy people that associate with *both* sides of the aisles and it seems as though politicians are trying to cater to them, as opposed to the general population who is pretty centrist.

 

[Buckeye]

I saw another interview the other night with Christopher Wylie who worked with Cambridge Analytica and became a whistleblower against them for what they did during the election using Facebook. His short description of the targeting and manipulation of people who displayed 'paranoid ideation' was frightening. I bought his book and am looking forward to reading it. Will probably be as scary as a Stephen King novel!

They guy who was an early mentor to Zuckerburg and an early Facebook investor also just released a book, 'Zucked, Waking Up to the Facebook Catastrophe.' I will probably read that one, too.

 

[harley]

Just the other day on a local forum dedicated to my community one person got on and basically accused everybody who did not agree with her view of a certain situation as being #$#$@%@!!!.

I don't see the problem. I agree, everyone that doesn't share my opinion is a special character.

 

[Rianne]

I saw another interview the other night with Christopher Wylie who worked with Cambridge Analytica and became a whistleblower against them for what they did during the election using Facebook. His short description of the targeting and manipulation of people who displayed 'paranoid ideation' was frightening. I bought his book and am looking forward to reading it. Will probably be as scary as a Stephen King novel!

They guy who was an early mentor to Zuckerburg and an early Facebook investor also just released a book, 'Zucked, Waking Up to the Facebook Catastrophe.' I will probably read that one, too.

I want to watch that, I have it recorded. My fear is only a % of people will believe it. That's the cost of freedom. Freedom of speech, to believe what you want, freedom to share ideas. Many countries don't allow this freedom and if you revolt, you're considered a traitor/terrorist, often killed. Dare to speak against the powers at be and you could lose your head.

 

[CaptTom]

My fear is only a % of people will believe it...

And therein lies the problem. People prefer to exist in an echo chamber where their own opinions are reinforced and re-iterated. Once convinced to disregard all outside information, those people are easily manipulated by fear, uncertainty and doubt. They don't know how distorted their beliefs are because they're never shown facts which contradict them.

I don't have a solution. I wish I did.

...Many countries don't allow this freedom and if you revolt, you're considered a traitor/terrorist...

That train has already left the station.

 

[Rianne]

One More Thing

I consider my family...cousins, aunts and uncles + their children of my DM living in Communist Slovakia. Their food was rationed, they never spoke against the Govnmt., they went to work everyday, lived in a beautiful valley below the Tatra Mountains. They were paid on time for their work. They built their own houses, tended their livestock and lived a simple life.


When the Russians left and they were given democracy, capitalism, they were lost. Their simple life turned complicated. I went there and visited them in 1998. Many didn't speak English but my DM spoke fluent Czech and English so she translated. They missed communism. They didn't want to compete, they wanted their simple life, to themselves locked in a community with friends and family in one of the most beautiful places on the planet.
BUT there are other parts of Slovakia that are not so nice.

 

[Amethyst]

My personal favorite stupid meme is "Don't you dare call my Social Security and Medicare "entitlements"! I worked and paid into them!


This periodically makes the rounds of the older women in my FB circle. Along with the one about members of Congress getting $175,000 "for life" while "seniors are scraping by on $12,000 a year."

I always point out that I'm darned glad that my pension (Which I also worked and paid into) is an entitlement, since that means it's a bill the government must pay.

I see so much of this. The most extreme was on the order of "ANY (Party A) candidate is better than EVERY (Party B) candidate". Mindless.

And twice in one day I saw a repost noting what Senate/House members were paid ($174,000/year) and the average SS check is $1,200/month, with hints that we should cut back Senate/House salaries and beef up SS payments. No one does the math- if you cut all the Senate/House representatives down to zero that would give each SS recipient another $1.50 annually. I will tactfully call BS on any mindless repost like this whether it supports my views or not- but by then the damage has been done and the re-posters have played into the hands of the people who created them to spread hate and dissension.

I still stay on FB- there are people whose posts I enjoy and I get to see pictures of my grandchildren- but a lot of what I see saddens and angers me.

 

[HFWR]

And those who benefit are not always the obvious ones. Speaking as a non-American, your media is the last source you should trust.

Thankfully, I have a fairly accurate BS meter...

 

[papaof2]

This forum is the only social media site that I follow or post comments. Exited FB and all similar ilk several years ago. I don't need to connect, like, or follow. Nor do I have any compulsion to friend/unfriend.

Once again, hats off to the mods here.

I'm only on Facebook because our kids, grandkids and more distant family are so scattered. I have a very small group of "friended" even though FB daily offers me "People you may know" because we have ONE common friend. I think not.

FB has its place, but it's not a primary source of information. I also use it advertise the books I've written, usually just a link to my Author Page on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/J-E-Carter/e/B01LVX00LP
That's a minor source of income but $2/book times a few books a week does help pay the utilities and my state doesn't tax unearned income under $60K/year ;-)

I post things on a writers' forum as they are written, to get feedback from the readers there. If they like what I post, it eventually becomes a Kindle book.

 

[Badger]

Critical/Analytical thinking and logic went out the window decades ago.



Cheers!

 

[target2019]

Social media has its place. But those who couldn't distinguish fact from fiction BS (Before Social media) are still in that position. Much of what appears on FB is advertising for a point of view, but it is disguised as user comment. Some of it undermines our freedoms.

Still, a person with less than ideal analysis gets one vote, same as me.

 

[Amethyst]

As for FB, I have managed to garner only one "friend" who posts gobs of political nonsense. Fifty posts a day, mingled with occasional (interesting) posts about self and hobbies. She must just go to the goofball sites and hit "share share share." I had to unfollow her so the goofball stuff would not appear in my feed.

The rest have their opinions, which they share occasionally, as friends are wont to do.

None of them have had the slightest impact on what I believe.