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> In practice it turns out people prefer information that validates their opinions, regardless of accuracy. Quotes abound including Ben Franklin about how peop
by dungle6 9y ago
> In practice it turns out people prefer information that validates their opinions, regardless of accuracy.
Quotes abound including Ben Franklin about how people will believe what they damn well want to. This isn't a new revelation by any means save for some technocrats that probably were too autistic to understand human nature.
On the otherhand Information wants to be free has always been able to make a non moralistic statement that is true without respect to human behavior. The cost of information is not due to anything human. The reason why this is still a powerful statement is that it makes it clear that outside of totalitarian control (from SOPA to real jackboot dictatorships) you can't control the dissemination of information even amongst the peasantry. Of course if this information is news.. it could be garbage.. and often is.
- slededit 9y agoI'm speaking of this quote as it applied to the internet in the mid-90s. Back then there really was this idea that the internet would have changed everything. Not just for those who were naturally curious and wanted the information but for those who didn't even know they wanted it. The idea was if only people knew this information was out there they would naturally seek and spread it. You need to look at who the original people using the internet were. Generally speaking they were the students of research Universities who would be naturally inquisitive. Their bias for learning blinded them from the realities of most people who simply don't care. The truth has no direct use for them. I also don't think seeking out validating information is the wrong choice for most people. If you weren't going to do anything with the information anyways you might as well get the endorphin rush validation brings.