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Forcing users to acknowledge their sins on a platform, when none are committed, is an issue. It reminds me of struggle sessions. I will use an extreme case (u

Forcing users to acknowledge their sins on a platform, when none are committed, is an issue. It reminds me of struggle sessions. I will use an extreme case (unrealistic) to prove the point: If you were forced, every day, to say 'XXXXXX cereal company is the best in the world, and they are greeeat.' before you were allowed to eat your toast, you will eventually start to believe this. Ok, maybe not you - but humanity isn't as strong willed as you are perhaps.

emn13 4y ago
Perhaps this is an unconstructive aside, but it's a pet peeve of mine how often we present this kind of thought experiments in a way that pretends it's just the unwashed masses that are vulnerable to whatever manipulation is being discussed. I really doubt it. I'd rather we internalize that you and me are almost certainly also vulnerable to serious misjudgements when exposed to similar situations. Best case: you're right, and strong-willed indivuduals exist and are immune. But worst case we're all worshiping Cthulhu without even realizing it, just because we were too proud to practice good informational hygiene.