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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]
(Score: 2) by aristarchus on Thursday September 13 2018, @06:53AM (7 children)
Interesting discussion, all! I am sure Janrinok is happy. But it does seem to be the case again (not the first time) that most commentors have not actually read the paper in question. Now when I run seminars, with, like, actual graduate students, I expect that they will have read the source material before we have a discussion about the same. So I suggest that everyone check their ideological tribal identities, go read the actual paper, and then come back for some actual intellectual discussion on the thesis of the paper. This is what we need to do to make JR happy, and he deserves it, and not only that, you owe it to SoylentNews, as a sworn Soylentil (excluding TMB, of course), to give the discussion your best attention and critical review. Seriously. We can only afford to lose so many Athanasiuses.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Thursday September 13 2018, @11:51AM
If you don't understand the reasons why I do what I do, you're never going to defeat me. Allow me to assure you that you most certainly do not understand them.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Thursday September 13 2018, @12:01PM (5 children)
Read this paper or don't get credit for this course is a strong incentive to read the source material. What's the incentive for today?
(Score: 2) by aristarchus on Thursday September 13 2018, @07:19PM (4 children)
Preventing you from looking like an idiot, and perhaps keeping you from frustrating other Soylentils who are looking for an intelligent discussion, and driving them to leave.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Friday September 14 2018, @01:41AM (3 children)
(Score: 2) by aristarchus on Friday September 14 2018, @05:43AM (2 children)
If you are not concerned about looking like an idiot. But then, the obvious rebuttal is, that you do not, as evidenced by all your posts on SN, and the fact you have not yet slunk away in horror of the terrible AGW-denying shill you have become. Read the Fine Article, khallow. It won't bite you.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Friday September 14 2018, @11:45AM (1 child)
To who? I notice you haven't actually discussed the paper either and you submitted the story in the first place. But then it might take too long to have all your personas read the story.
(Score: 2) by aristarchus on Friday September 14 2018, @06:57PM
Poor khallow!