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posted by chromas on Wednesday September 12 2018, @02:20PM   Printer-friendly
from the That's-what-they-WANT-you-to-think dept.

In the Salon

There seems to be a lot of science being thrown at the "Trump Phenomenon." Salon covers yet another, and interviews the author.

A new paper, recently presented at the American Political Science Association's annual convention, suggests a widespread motive driving people to share fake news, conspiracy theories and other hostile political rumors. "Many status-obsessed, yet marginalized individuals experience a 'Need for Chaos' and want to 'watch the world burn'," lead author Michael Petersen tweeted, announcing the availability of a preprint copy.

Truth, in such a worldview, is beside the point, which offers a new perspective on the limitations of fact-checking. The motivation behind sharing or spreading narratives one may not even believe can help make sense of a variety of threatening or confusing recent developments in advanced democracies. It also sheds light on disturbing similarities with outbreaks of ethnic or genocidal violence, such as those seen in Rwanda and the Balkan nations during the 1990s.

Preprint of the paper available at PsyArXiv, here. [DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/6m4ts]


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  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by RS3 on Wednesday September 12 2018, @03:16PM (5 children)

    by RS3 (6367) on Wednesday September 12 2018, @03:16PM (#733648)

    Gossip has been around since humans figured out how to communicate. Now it's much easier to put gossip in writing, and people tend to accept writings as being true.

    Of course it's begging the question: why do people gossip?

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 12 2018, @05:40PM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 12 2018, @05:40PM (#733741)

    why do people gossip?

    Do you really have to ask? [quoteinvestigator.com]

    There's been a recent trend to promote gossip as some kind of virtue. [theatlantic.com] I don't care for gossip, especially malicious gossip which is simply bullying.

    • (Score: 3, Funny) by aristarchus on Wednesday September 12 2018, @06:48PM (1 child)

      by aristarchus (2645) on Wednesday September 12 2018, @06:48PM (#733782) Journal

      As Cicero, I believe, said: "Caesar's Kardashian must be above suspicion!"

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 12 2018, @08:47PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 12 2018, @08:47PM (#733829)

        True, although he elaborated - "In things possible there is nothing Jenner".

  • (Score: 2) by shortscreen on Wednesday September 12 2018, @07:39PM (1 child)

    by shortscreen (2252) on Wednesday September 12 2018, @07:39PM (#733803) Journal

    possible motivation #1 - I will share this valuable info and maybe get some different valuable info in return

    possible motivation #2 - I will share this idea that might be BS because it would be convenient for me if other people believed it

    possible motivation #3 - I will say these words and it will make me/my team look good, or make the other guy look bad

    possible motivation #4 - I will share this idea for the lulz

    • (Score: 2) by RS3 on Wednesday September 12 2018, @11:02PM

      by RS3 (6367) on Wednesday September 12 2018, @11:02PM (#733895)

      It's also common that people like to sound like they're "in the know" and all cool like. Fortunately that NEVER happens here.