4 ms·

Take a look at his comment history, that is Thom's MO. Trump being elected due to misinformation triggers the crap out of him for some reason.

• ThomPete 10y ago
  What about making the case that it did happen because of misinformation instead of focusing on my comment history? I have said a lot of things on both sides and is hardly just some troll. We all have our triggers, this is one for me so whats wrong with that?
  • flockonus 10y ago
    There is no such case to be made. If viral fake news influence even some tiny percentage, there is already responsibility on social media for how this elections turned out. Yes, quite possibly >90% of the people would have voted the same way regardless of news, still we all know the "swing" makes all the difference
    • barrkel 10y ago
      If only 45% voted for Trump, they wouldn't have valid opinions? If 5% made the difference, then 90% of the votes for Trump don't form a mandate? There's a problem here - first past the post voting - but there's also another problem: denial of the legitimacy of an opposition. The vast majority of the people who voted for Trump have valid opinions. You can't just dismiss them.
      • flockonus 10y ago
        Definitely a valid government regardless of what influenced it. Attributing cause to vote swing does not take legitimacy away, it's just being honest
  • splawn 10y ago
    I know this is bleeding over from our previous conversation, but the only case I have made wrt this topic is my opinion that it would be nice if critical thinking was more of a cultural force than it currently is. I would play your game and try to make the case that you want me to make, but I am not sure what data I would be able to source for that even if I suspect it to be true. Nothing wrong with having triggers, I was just using "alt-right" rhetoric to tease you a little bit.
  • jimbokun 10y ago
    Because you arguing that rampant misinformation is not a threat to a well functioning democracy is so manifestly nihilistic and trollish there's really no point in even discussing it further.
    • ThomPete 10y ago
      Thats your argument?
    • barrkel 10y ago
      There's a lot of people in denial that there is a genuine grievance at the heart of voting for Trump. People who voted for him are not all misinformed racist sexist delusional hicks. There's too many of them to all be fooled. Many of them voted for Obama last time; the numbers make that clear. Denial is the biggest thing I see in the US media right now, and it's worrying. Because it will probably lead to opposition to the symptom (Trump), rather than the cause (what motivated people to vote for him), and will promote internal opposition. It brings heat, not light.
      • jimbokun 10y ago
        How well do you think the average voter, whether Trump or Hillary supporter, would do on a Politifact quiz? I believe most of us are misinformed and delusional, and I do not believe people having Facebook as their primary news source is improving the situation.
        • flukus 10y ago
          People vote with their hearts not their heads. This has always been true.