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HN is the media then, because a lot of these comments really do "strip all nuance". We seem to have entered an era where we're all a part of the hysteria. Kerk

HN is the media then, because a lot of these comments really do "strip all nuance". We seem to have entered an era where we're all a part of the hysteria. Kerkeslager is right, we should all take time to actually read what this paper is saying. But obviously, most people don't, and that causes issues. Which, I imagine, is why kerkeslager advocated not even informing people until conclusive data exists. But this strategy, of course, runs into the problem that Seneca identified long ago, "A lie can make it around the world before the truth can get its shoes on." It's just the nature of a social media based world. Not sure there is much we can do about it other than educate. To keep reminding people that they need to be skeptical, and read carefully. Even that seems not to work very well, as most people tend to believe anything that aligns with their world view, and disbelieve anything that doesn't. It's just a tough problem. But the most dangerous thing we can do intellectually is to assume that we don't have the problem, only everyone else does.

dredmorbius 6y ago
"A lie can make it around the world ..." Seneca? Seems unlikely. Jonathan Swift has an early variant, from 1710: https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/07/13/truth/ https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/07/13/truth/ Though there's: "We should always allow some time to elapse, for time discloses the truth." https://dailystoic.com/seneca-quotes/ https://dailystoic.com/seneca-quotes/
kerkeslager 6y ago
> Which, I imagine, is why kerkeslager advocated not even informing people until conclusive data exists. But this strategy, of course, runs into the problem that Seneca identified long ago, "A lie can make it around the world before the truth can get its shoes on." Well, the problem is that posting this sort of thing for a general audience isn't informing people. It's actually misleading people. I wouldn't call it a "lie" because the intent isn't to deceive, but it's certainly spreading untruth if what you communicate to people is what is being said in this thread.

dredmorbius 6y ago

"A lie can make it around the world ..." Seneca? Seems unlikely. Jonathan Swift has an early variant, from 1710: https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/07/13/truth/ https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/07/13/truth/ Though there's: "We should always allow some time to elapse, for time discloses the truth." https://dailystoic.com/seneca-quotes/ https://dailystoic.com/seneca-quotes/

kerkeslager 6y ago

> Which, I imagine, is why kerkeslager advocated not even informing people until conclusive data exists. But this strategy, of course, runs into the problem that Seneca identified long ago, "A lie can make it around the world before the truth can get its shoes on." Well, the problem is that posting this sort of thing for a general audience isn't informing people. It's actually misleading people. I wouldn't call it a "lie" because the intent isn't to deceive, but it's certainly spreading untruth if what you communicate to people is what is being said in this thread.