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?
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 16 2022, @07:20PM (1 child)
Boo!??
This is the main mis-information of the FA:
There was no "change of ideas", it is just that one party decided to dispense with them. This is why there was no Republical party platform, and why there were no ideas at the recent Florence rally.
(Score: 3, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 16 2022, @07:23PM
No ideas??! What are you talking about? There's, I mean there's... repeal Obamacare. Among other things. And... and... freedom, of course. And abortions.... LOOK, this is not the time for 1/2 measures. We need to take our country back first, by any means necessary, then we can instill some family values around here.