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To some, the headline might seem strange until the potential doublespeak (or newspeak) gets translated to plain language. Below is a little translation for you
by realityfactchex 2y ago
To some, the headline might seem strange until the potential doublespeak (or newspeak) gets translated to plain language. Below is a little translation for your consideration, but first the explanation:
1. The term "misinformation" has been used a lot as a shallow stand-in for the phrase "information that the status quo establishment has a vested interest in masses of people not truly understanding". So, let's simplify and replace "misinformation" with "correct information" (even if only to consider this position temporarily).
2. The term "democracy" has been used often when a more correct phrase might be "worldwide communitarianism". Similarly, not everyone will agree, but it is possible to try this on for size.
Applying these substitutions yields the headline below, for people who want to know what is actually being said (or, rather, how some people might either intend or read these words):
"Correct information poses a bigger threat to worldwide communitarianism than you might think."
Another way to see the same phenomenon would be just to put the doublespeak terms in scare quotes, but people don't like that (and I don't blame them, due to the ambiguity and the extra work interpreting it):
"Misinformation" poses a bigger threat to "democracy" than you might think.
Anyway, the actual topic of actual misinformation is a really decent topic to understand and consider, whether one does or does not do the doublespeak-translation, and also whether one is for or against any particular viewpoint. On that ground, the article is super relevant to many.