Disinformation: The End of Humanity?

How disinformation took over the world

Disinformation has taken over social media, which is annoying in the best of times and deeply scary in the worst. So why has truth become an endangered species, and what makes the internet so ripe for falsehoods? Let’s find out in this video: How Truth Died

=== Watch More Episodes! ===

Written by Amanda Scherker
Hosted by Michael Burns
Directed by Michael Luxemburg
Edited by Jackson Maher
Produced by Olivia Redden

Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound

#disinformation #fakenews #culture

© 2023 Wisecrack / Omnia Media, Inc. / Enthusiast Gaming

[stephss]

As someone in their 50's, whose been "terminally online" since I was 21... let me tell you.... the internet is a fantastic tool, social media is nothing but a soul crushing endeavor. There are no safe spaces, and the real world offline, is far more important than the doom scrolling. Touch grass.... ty for this episode.

[deadcard]

I am now suddenly afraid someone will see one of my shitposts, not get the joke, and pass it along as fact. That is a level of anxiety I did not plan for today.

[taffitteal]

This is why I feel that comedy is so important, especially in the darkest times. Comedians can help us to examine ourselves by making fun of our basic and often common idiotic tendencies. Through them we may be humbled to examine ourselves more closely and with a smile.

[douglasphillips]

In school they teach us to always have an answer when you're called on. They don't teach us that "I don't know" is a valid answer.

[WoodRabbitTaoist]

“We’ll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false.” William Casey, CIA Director 1981-1987

[altohippiegabber]

Why would you trust news on social media when they don't have to comply with rules of journalism?!

[MichaelJosephSonger]

I felt so much healthier and relaxed after I gave up most of social media (Twitter, Facebook) and stopped watching the news. Usually, I find if an event of note has happened from a friend, loved one, or if it's important enough it ends up on my very manicured Reddit feed. If it's a news story about something from social media or what a celebrity or politician said, I avoid it like the plague. With Reddit and YouTube, I keep most my interactions at surface level (mostly only watching videos or looking at rad images) only occasionally looking at top comments on funny stuff or hobbies.

[pawned]

I enjoyed the video. “‘The only true wisdom is knowing that you know nothing.’” “That’s us, dude!” “Oh yeah!” - Bill and Ted

[goldenstateofmind]

People want to believe in bullshit to fit their narratives

[realBeltalowda]

9:06 Isabel Wilkerson talks about this in her book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent. In it she states that these people are not being racist but are instead responding to this very phenomenon, because the invisible programming of the caste system that exists within the United States (which Nazi Germany used as a direct model for creating their own leading up to the Holocaust) tells them they should benefit more than their lower caste counterparts.

Those in the higher levels of the caste system see those invisibly deemed “below them” as benefitting more than them and they get insecure and angry for it. They feel cheated, having bought into an invisible system that we were all borne into.

Fascinating read.

[netherfreakultima]

Disinformation bugs the hell out of me

[FakeSchrodingersCat]

What gets me is that someone wanted to sell last minute tickets to a Grateful Dead cover band for $179, I remember seeing the real thing for $20 and thinking they were selling out by charging that much.

[thundersmoke]

On a brighter note, i finally have a reason to casually name drop Kierkegaard in every day conversations

[omniultimate]

Honestly, I feel like I'm an enigma for how much I've been able to avoid social media. I have little idea what's going on in the world beyond hearsay from other people. It's honesty helped me be more people focused, since I have the brain space to care about the people around me. And none of that is fuel by what society tells me what I should feel or do.

[finitesound]

The BBC verified bit is rich considering they just got caught grossly mistranslating released palestinian prisoners. Changing lines about being tortured to praising Hamas, even though they never mentioned Hamas.

[thenightwatchman]

its depressing to think that the only solutions that seem to float around to address this dumpster fire of polarization is either to become apathetic, to become willfully ignorant, or a combination of both. i hear very little in the way of constructive solutions anymore...

[joofmagoof]

The struggle is so real. Additionally, I've come to really enjoy seeing your all-time "starting five" philosophers in each topic. While many of us have our own "picks" for each topic (mine would be William James on pragmatism), it is fun to compare and contrast your choices and perspectives with my own. Also, thank you for introducing me to Byung-Chul Han! I'll check out his work.

[ariadgaia]

The louder the world gets? The more I value silence.

[philipbaker]

This is something I struggle with. Switching-off, or the "idiocy" sounds great, but also feels as if I am turning my back to suffering. How do I reconcile MY health, with ignoring injustice?

[umbomb]

Thanks for your content (and for toning down the background track.)