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Explain cat videos. But more seriously, it is important to consider just how much importance any internet discussion should be given. I would say a strong down

by ianai 3y ago

Explain cat videos. But more seriously, it is important to consider just how much importance any internet discussion should be given. I would say a strong down weight in general is most useful. Consider whether it really helps matters or severely hurts progress to react to the noise. Thinking of troll farms pushing content and adding flamey content to threads. It’d be better if people had some built in skepticism. Edit-Also, there absolutely will always be someone who disagrees with you/any comment on the internet. And they’re the most likely to respond to that comment. So while there’s a huge amount of actual information on the internet there is far, far more much noise. Actual knowledge and wisdom are going to have to be independently verifiable. Like reading a book, multiple sources, choose sources with demonstrated quality etc.

pjc50 3y ago
> consider just how much importance any internet discussion should be given The problem with this - and it applies to BS in regular media as well - is that it doesn't matter so much what I find important, as what my fellow voters, and real policy makers, find important. Flat earthers are harmless on their own. If flat earthers start making transport policy, things are going to stop working.
- ianai 3y ago
  Thing is, flat earthers are a minority. And if the systems of government succeed in representing the relatively quiet majority instead of the loud minorities then transport policy won’t stop working for at least that reason. (Still could for other reasons…”cutting off your nose to spite your face” as an example.) It’s an example of a “bad idea”: an idea which displaces better understanding and further attempts at understanding. Precisely because of that, bad ideas are ends and are like the false fronts on buildings in the old west. They seem larger and more profound from only the front side, but take a little walk behind the main argument and the shallowness reveals itself and its fundamental futility.
noobermin 3y ago
Things like me-too happened primarily due to internet discourse. It may or may not have had an impact on society but it was partly due to social media.

by ianai 3y ago

pjc50 3y ago

> consider just how much importance any internet discussion should be given The problem with this - and it applies to BS in regular media as well - is that it doesn't matter so much what I find important, as what my fellow voters, and real policy makers, find important. Flat earthers are harmless on their own. If flat earthers start making transport policy, things are going to stop working.

ianai 3y ago
Thing is, flat earthers are a minority. And if the systems of government succeed in representing the relatively quiet majority instead of the loud minorities then transport policy won’t stop working for at least that reason. (Still could for other reasons…”cutting off your nose to spite your face” as an example.) It’s an example of a “bad idea”: an idea which displaces better understanding and further attempts at understanding. Precisely because of that, bad ideas are ends and are like the false fronts on buildings in the old west. They seem larger and more profound from only the front side, but take a little walk behind the main argument and the shallowness reveals itself and its fundamental futility.

noobermin 3y ago

Things like me-too happened primarily due to internet discourse. It may or may not have had an impact on society but it was partly due to social media.