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Nowhere has this been more true than social media: a constant stream of unverified BS shared from one group to another via a mutual friend. And the most frustr
by mysterydip 6y ago
Nowhere has this been more true than social media: a constant stream of unverified BS shared from one group to another via a mutual friend.
And the most frustrating part is it's a no-win situation: either you spend time refuting only for the story to change slightly (or more arguments back), or the poster assumes silence means agreement, enforcing their opinion and sharing similar later.
- learnstats2 6y agoIt can be powerful just to say something like: "I don't agree with that" Direct refutation of what they have said suggests that you are open to discussion in light of further evidence, and invites people to find new arguments; whereas, saying that you fundamentally disagree makes your position much clearer.
- thaumasiotes 6y agoRelated: if you don't want to do something, providing the genuine reason you don't want to can avoid some pretty frustrating fights over whether you should do it. At the very least, arguments tend to be relevant. Providing the reason might, of course, provoke other fights, or be embarrassing.
- minikites 6y agoI agree with this.
- whiddershins 6y agoI have simply stopped engaging entirely with people who post nonsense on social media. I believe it is actually unethical to post things you haven’t verified. By doing it you are actually making the world demonstrably worse. Block, unfollow, defriend etc ... I can be friends with someone in real life and nit have their every nonsense thought gumming up my Facebook feed.