Anybody who digs into it all like that deserves a medal for bravery. I hope the damage it did to you passes quickly.
You alluded to confirmation bias -- where people ignore everything contrary to their tribe's beliefs -- but it isn't new. Humans have lived with that kind of flawed thinking forever.
In the past it seems religion or a charismatic leader, combined with confirmation bias, led to the biggest troubles. Now we have something else: the algorithm that figures out how to keep you engaged in your social media feed. The algorithm literally amplifies your confirmation bias.
It's an extraction technology alright! Social media is designed to keep eyeballs where the ads are, and to hell with all the collateral damage.
Armed with the algorithm, a few sociopaths have perpetrated most of the hateful content, and made significant money doing it. So we have a DIY extraction technology, complete with slaves. On the horizon, more of the same, but in 3D and with even less distinction between reality and poisonous lies.
That's my party piece. Cheerful, I know. Please tell me I am wrong.
Anybody who digs into it all like that deserves a medal for bravery. I hope the damage it did to you passes quickly.
You alluded to confirmation bias -- where people ignore everything contrary to their tribe's beliefs -- but it isn't new. Humans have lived with that kind of flawed thinking forever.
In the past it seems religion or a charismatic leader, combined with confirmation bias, led to the biggest troubles. Now we have something else: the algorithm that figures out how to keep you engaged in your social media feed. The algorithm literally amplifies your confirmation bias.
It's an extraction technology alright! Social media is designed to keep eyeballs where the ads are, and to hell with all the collateral damage.
Armed with the algorithm, a few sociopaths have perpetrated most of the hateful content, and made significant money doing it. So we have a DIY extraction technology, complete with slaves. On the horizon, more of the same, but in 3D and with even less distinction between reality and poisonous lies.
That's my party piece. Cheerful, I know. Please tell me I am wrong.