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posted by janrinok on Sunday January 16 2022, @10:21AM   Printer-friendly
from the By-the-inch,-it's-a-cinch-but-a-mile-takes-a-while dept.

We've previously discussed ( https://soylentnews.org/article.pl?sid=21/12/11/1847236 ) how it becomes impossible to reverse the polarization of a community once their differences become too great, and how that plays out both here at SN and in the wider world. Science Blog has a piece ( https://scienceblog.com/527745/computer-model-seeks-to-explain-the-spread-of-misinformation-and-suggest-counter-measures/ ) about a PLOS paper titled "Cognitive cascades: How to model (and potentially counter) the spread of fake news" ( https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0261811 ) which uses an interesting computer model to explore how this actually happens.

The model demonstrated that if the new information is too much at odds with a person's existing belief, it will be ignored. Furthermore, if that belief is connected with the person's identity, their current belief will be strengthened as a defense against cognitive dissonance. Interestingly, though, a succession of new information that gradually nudge the person to adjust their beliefs can, over time, cause the person to adopt a belief that is very different from the one they started with. This sounds like how psy-ops manipulate targets to accept extreme views.

What was the gradual change of ideas that have led national political parties to be ever more different from one another, and who fed them those messages?


Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 16 2022, @10:51AM (10 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 16 2022, @10:51AM (#1213097)

    The article failed to mention that if the misinformation is published by a respected newspaper then it is always generally accepted. The traditional established media is where most misinformation comes from. Some newspapers even have the hide to instigate faux "fact checking". Governments are also frequently sources of deliberate misinformation, including about misinformation, and the sheeple accept it all unquestioningly.

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  • (Score: 1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 16 2022, @01:55PM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 16 2022, @01:55PM (#1213121)

    Bwahahahaha yes we should use NewsMax and OAN instead! Not to forget tucker and hannity!! Those true patriots will return us to glory!!! The fuck is wrong with reublicans? Or should we imagine that the sheeple detector uses only homegrown organic news sources?

    • (Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 16 2022, @07:34PM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 16 2022, @07:34PM (#1213213)

      Why do you hate America, son? It makes baby Jesus weep.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 17 2022, @04:08PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 17 2022, @04:08PM (#1213397)

        crying is good for a baby's lungs

  • (Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 16 2022, @05:25PM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 16 2022, @05:25PM (#1213166)

    Actually, the sheeple have stopped accepting it, at least to some extent, which is why there's this moral panic about "misinformation" now. That what fills that void is unmitigated bullshit + /pol/ conspiracy theories is another story.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 16 2022, @07:35PM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 16 2022, @07:35PM (#1213214)

      Moral panic? I do believe you mean the pandemic.

      • (Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 16 2022, @08:58PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 16 2022, @08:58PM (#1213246)

        The establishment losing it's shit about "misinformation" and "fake news" predates the pandemic by half a decade. It is a classic moral panic alright.

  • (Score: 5, Informative) by Beryllium Sphere (r) on Monday January 17 2022, @04:31AM (3 children)

    by Beryllium Sphere (r) (5062) on Monday January 17 2022, @04:31AM (#1213325)

    "Lugenpresse".

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lying_press [wikipedia.org]

    • (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 17 2022, @06:22AM (2 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 17 2022, @06:22AM (#1213339)

      We are using Richard Spencer recommended Nazi terminology, now? (In case anyone missed the obvious reference.)

      • (Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 17 2022, @04:11PM (1 child)

        by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 17 2022, @04:11PM (#1213398)

        Whatever sins the skinheads and neonazis are guilty of, they do have a pretty clear view of the established press. You are used and manipulated by the propaganda masters. Sad that you can't see it.

        • (Score: 4, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 17 2022, @05:31PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 17 2022, @05:31PM (#1213423)

          What do yall think? Should we tell him?