In the long run, not on an individual level but as a sum of the population - 100% worse off for it. Not so much dumbing people down or as smart directly, mostl

In the long run, not on an individual level but as a sum of the population - 100% worse off for it. Not so much dumbing people down or as smart directly, mostly via being mislead, misdirected or misinformed by what most of the news information the majority will get, designed more to herd those relying on it towards a certain narrative / consensus as per those behind the scene. This of course happens presently but to a smaller extent, last 4 decades at least with those attaining position that feedback loops or whatever data suggested they didn't really need to have a population educated higher than the position they might end up at, and with narratives on other agendas eg [1] pushed that much of the population just accepts that's the status quo. [1] The most striking example I can think of, any time vegetable oil for fuel is mentioned in the news, almost without exception people will think biodiesel and the issues that might arise with certain engines. The reality is we never read much about cracking that oil into regular fuels as the industry presently does with some fractions of crude oil - I've only seen it mentioned it in one book, but it was IIRC written specifically for the petroleum industry in mind.