3 ms·

I'm certain that social networks have played a large role, if not the sole reason for this behaviour by encouraging limited attention, FOMO, OCD-scrolling etc.

I'm certain that social networks have played a large role, if not the sole reason for this behaviour by encouraging limited attention, FOMO, OCD-scrolling etc. But, I guess we wouldn't able to prove that more people read the content before commenting before social networks without a proper control and besides many visitors of these sites are from social networks. All major News organisations know that only small fraction of their audience on social networks even click the link anymore and rest of them just make up what they wanted from the title and description. At least now I think, Facebook doesn't allow one to alter the title, description of the website they're sharing; for years someone who shares could change those as well!

JimDabell 6y ago
> I'm certain that social networks have played a large role, if not the sole reason for this behaviour I don’t think that’s correct, depending upon your definition of "social networks". People were complaining about people not RTFAing on Slashdot in the 90s.
- 082349872349872 6y ago
  The sheep in Animal Farm (who repeat talking points independently of applicability or even consistency with the past) were probably a complaint about people not RTFAing in 1945. If one squints enough, Plato's Cave could be a complaint (circa -375) about opinions via pale shadows of secondary and tertiary sources. https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0168%3Abook%3D7%3Asection%3D516c https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext... https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0168%3Abook%3D7%3Asection%3D516d https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext...
- unixhero 6y ago
  Not to mention RTFM!
numpad0 6y ago
First 3 to come reads the title, skim read TFA, write corrections or complements. Next 30 reads the title, read comments, and write some pretend skepticism. Next 300 reads the title, view comments, upvote the strongest opinions, and share. Next 3000 reads the title and immediately decide whether to share. Somewhere from here and above, 3-4 people tries to plagiarize something in it just to get votes and/or because they have personal issues in forming opinions. Rest of the million people after this point just applaud and share what’s being thrown at their faces.

JimDabell 6y ago

> I'm certain that social networks have played a large role, if not the sole reason for this behaviour I don’t think that’s correct, depending upon your definition of "social networks". People were complaining about people not RTFAing on Slashdot in the 90s.

082349872349872 6y ago
The sheep in Animal Farm (who repeat talking points independently of applicability or even consistency with the past) were probably a complaint about people not RTFAing in 1945. If one squints enough, Plato's Cave could be a complaint (circa -375) about opinions via pale shadows of secondary and tertiary sources. https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0168%3Abook%3D7%3Asection%3D516c https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext... https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0168%3Abook%3D7%3Asection%3D516d https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext...
unixhero 6y ago
Not to mention RTFM!

numpad0 6y ago

First 3 to come reads the title, skim read TFA, write corrections or complements. Next 30 reads the title, read comments, and write some pretend skepticism. Next 300 reads the title, view comments, upvote the strongest opinions, and share. Next 3000 reads the title and immediately decide whether to share. Somewhere from here and above, 3-4 people tries to plagiarize something in it just to get votes and/or because they have personal issues in forming opinions. Rest of the million people after this point just applaud and share what’s being thrown at their faces.