,
7 tweets,
13 min read
Read on Twitter
@AshaRangappa_ @KevinMKruse @EthanKytle @ruthbenghiat @jbf1755 @jasonintrator @jenmercieca @RVAwonk 1/ A Dilemma: How do we respond to a Firehose of Outrageousness?
Trump's outrageousness does four things for him:
💠Keeps his base excited
💠Enrages his critics
💠Batters democratic institutions, and
💠Fulfills his campaign promise: protect his followers from their “enemies.”
Trump's outrageousness does four things for him:
💠Keeps his base excited
💠Enrages his critics
💠Batters democratic institutions, and
💠Fulfills his campaign promise: protect his followers from their “enemies.”
@AshaRangappa_ @KevinMKruse @EthanKytle @ruthbenghiat @jbf1755 @jasonintrator @jenmercieca @RVAwonk 2/ When he does something outrageous, he creates self-fulfilling loop: the more outraged his critics get, and the more euphoric his followers feel. Win-win for Trump.
The more outraged his critics feel, the more they wear out and lose confidence in democracy. Win for Trump.
The more outraged his critics feel, the more they wear out and lose confidence in democracy. Win for Trump.
@AshaRangappa_ @KevinMKruse @EthanKytle @ruthbenghiat @jbf1755 @jasonintrator @jenmercieca @RVAwonk 3/Win for Trump because Active Measures is partly to get people to lose faith in Democracy (I figure Trump and Putin are on the same team here).
So what do we do?
We can’t normalize outrageousness. We have to respond.
But too much outrage—constant 5-star alarms—feeds the beast.
So what do we do?
We can’t normalize outrageousness. We have to respond.
But too much outrage—constant 5-star alarms—feeds the beast.
@AshaRangappa_ @KevinMKruse @EthanKytle @ruthbenghiat @jbf1755 @jasonintrator @jenmercieca @RVAwonk 4/ It seems to me we need a balance-- and we need to educate people about what Trump (and Putin) are up to.
For a solution, I think we take our cue from the Rand Corp research on how to counter the Firehose of Falsehoods: You can't disprove each lie. . . .
For a solution, I think we take our cue from the Rand Corp research on how to counter the Firehose of Falsehoods: You can't disprove each lie. . . .
@AshaRangappa_ @KevinMKruse @EthanKytle @ruthbenghiat @jbf1755 @jasonintrator @jenmercieca @RVAwonk 5/ . . .playing whack-a-lie will wear everyone out, a liar can reel off several lies per minute, refuting each with research takes hours, and is never really effective.
The better strategy is to try to counter the effect of the lying by preparing the population for the lies.
The better strategy is to try to counter the effect of the lying by preparing the population for the lies.
@AshaRangappa_ @KevinMKruse @EthanKytle @ruthbenghiat @jbf1755 @jasonintrator @jenmercieca @RVAwonk 6/ I think the solution to the Firehouse of Outrageousness is similar. Educate the public and try to counter the effects.
The goal is to destroy democracy, so we counter the Firehose of outrageousness by taking steps to strengthen democracy and democratic institutions.
The goal is to destroy democracy, so we counter the Firehose of outrageousness by taking steps to strengthen democracy and democratic institutions.
@AshaRangappa_ @KevinMKruse @EthanKytle @ruthbenghiat @jbf1755 @jasonintrator @jenmercieca @RVAwonk 7. How? Volunteer, register voters, get involved with local elections, support publications that do good investigative journalism, get organized for 2020. I’ve assembled some ideas and put them here: terikanefield-blog.com/things-to-do/
end/
end/
