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Correct. The last step needed: the debunkers need to debunk the myths not in their cozy groups and websites, but in the enemy's lair. This achieves two purposes
by AlexTWithBeard 5y ago
Correct. The last step needed: the debunkers need to debunk the myths not in their cozy groups and websites, but in the enemy's lair. This achieves two purposes:
First, those reading the myths will immediately see the refusal. They don't need to search through multiple websites. They don't have to go through the layers of meaningless arguments. Here's bullshit in the post - here's refusal in the reply. Easy-peasy.
Second, with this everyone knows that once he posts some burp - someone will call him out. And nobody - not even a group moderator - will be able to come to the rescue.
- rajin444 5y agoThis is great in theory if each individual has the ability to arrive at the same conclusion as the “debunkers”. They don’t, so they fallback to trust, and that’s when it all breaks down. The most important thing to combat misinformation is to build trust. Anyone trying to combat misinformation while disparaging their tribal outgroup is playing politics, not combating misinformation. In your post you call people you need to convince that you’re trustworthy “enemies”. There’s no way that will ever work.
- AlexTWithBeard 5y agoMost people are quite reasonable and can be convinced. On the other hand most people are lazy and often it's about "some <yet another evil theory> explained right here" vs. "an alternative (and probably much better) explanation of the same thing on some smarty-pants website". Well, people just don't go to that somewhere else and ignore it. Out of site - out of mind. If you see an inconvenient reply under every message of your local prophet, you may not get convinced right away, but the seeds of doubt will be sown.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]
- sjtindell 5y agoSuch a fantasy. This is exactly how it happens. And they literally just respond to the “debunking” post with garbage and move on. It’s not about information, it’s about emotion and tribe.
- AlexTWithBeard 5y agoNot always. I remember scrolling through the flat-earhers forum once and I was amazed how short all the arguments have been. The conversation was usually like: - Look, the Earth is really flat, I've measured the visible height of such-and-such mountain from such-and-such place and it's way higher than should've been. - Man, you got the distance wrong. Look at google map, you're off by X hundred miles. Try doing your calculations with the correct numbers - Fuck off, I've got better things to do in my life than replying your stupid messages QED