(Thread) Combatting Disinformation
The biggest problems were are facing now are related:
🔹The president of the US is using highly effective fascist-style propaganda on US citizens
🔹It’s working with swing and persuadable voters
First I’ll discuss the problem. Then solutions.
The biggest problems were are facing now are related:
🔹The president of the US is using highly effective fascist-style propaganda on US citizens
🔹It’s working with swing and persuadable voters
First I’ll discuss the problem. Then solutions.
1/ Propaganda techniques being weaponized by Trump includes what one study calls the Firehose of Falsehoods and bothsidesism.
After last night’s speech, you may want to revisit this thread:
The main goal of the Trump-FOX-GOP is to sow discord and doubt.
After last night’s speech, you may want to revisit this thread:
The main goal of the Trump-FOX-GOP is to sow discord and doubt.
2/ This sort of thing👇
🔹sows doubt and confusion
🔹undermines confidence in democratic institutions, and
🔹undermines factuality (which in turn undermines rule of law; you can't have rule of law without an intact public sphere.)
Doomsayers are [inadvertently?] helping.
🔹sows doubt and confusion
🔹undermines confidence in democratic institutions, and
🔹undermines factuality (which in turn undermines rule of law; you can't have rule of law without an intact public sphere.)
Doomsayers are [inadvertently?] helping.
Not if ⤵️the point is to sow division, create doubt, muddy the waters, and create a “bothsides” argument:
Put bluntly, the US president and a major political party are conducting a soviet-style disinformation campaign against their own citizens.
3/
Put bluntly, the US president and a major political party are conducting a soviet-style disinformation campaign against their own citizens.
3/
I begin with this premise: If the Democrats win the House, Senate, and White House in Nov, we can rapidly undo the damage.
If you’re inclined to argue, see my FAQ’s: terikanefield-blog.com/faq/
(I suggest everyone stop arguing with doomsayers. Send them to my FAQs and move on)
4/
If you’re inclined to argue, see my FAQ’s: terikanefield-blog.com/faq/
(I suggest everyone stop arguing with doomsayers. Send them to my FAQs and move on)
4/
I prefer 538 polling aggregate because it prevents us from focusing on outlier polls, and shows change over time. projects.fivethirtyeight.com/trump-approval…
Trump won in 2016 with 45.5% of the vote.
He dropped rapidly and never again reached that height.
5/
Trump won in 2016 with 45.5% of the vote.
He dropped rapidly and never again reached that height.
5/
From this chart I learn that a solid 52-53% of the population dislikes Trump. That is unlikely to change.
(Winning 53% of the vote and losing the electoral college is an extremely remote possibility so don't go there. It's more doomsaying)
6/
(Winning 53% of the vote and losing the electoral college is an extremely remote possibility so don't go there. It's more doomsaying)
6/
As long as that 52% votes for the Democratic nominee, the Dems almost certainly win the White House.
But we also need the Senate.
From this chart I also learn that a solid 40% will vote for Trump no matter what.
The question of the hour⤵️
7/
But we also need the Senate.
From this chart I also learn that a solid 40% will vote for Trump no matter what.
The question of the hour⤵️
7/
Yup, it's a cult. For more on cults, see:
We need a long term solution for dealing with demagogues and their cults.
The short term solution is to not to argue with them. You won’t change their minds, you’ll wear yourselves out trying.
8/
We need a long term solution for dealing with demagogues and their cults.
The short term solution is to not to argue with them. You won’t change their minds, you’ll wear yourselves out trying.
8/
People who are unreachable ⤵️
The people up for grabs, the persuadable voters, is a band of about 5-7% of voters.
Get a chunk of those, and we can reach landslide numbers.
The problem: These are also the people vulnerable to propaganda.
9/
The people up for grabs, the persuadable voters, is a band of about 5-7% of voters.
Get a chunk of those, and we can reach landslide numbers.
The problem: These are also the people vulnerable to propaganda.
9/
People vulnerable to propaganda are not engaged, so they’re likely to get confused, lose confidence in institutions, and conclude maybe Trump is right after all.
This is a fabulous list of ways to fight disinformation campaigns:
euromaidanpress.com/2017/06/16/way…
10/
This is a fabulous list of ways to fight disinformation campaigns:
euromaidanpress.com/2017/06/16/way…
10/
#3 on this list of how to fight a disinformation campaign is “raise awareness.”
#6 is “Civil society” must be involved (that means us, not just the government or institutions)
As Taylor Swift says: “Nobody is going to save us. We have to save ourselves.”
11/
#6 is “Civil society” must be involved (that means us, not just the government or institutions)
As Taylor Swift says: “Nobody is going to save us. We have to save ourselves.”
11/
#7 says: “Acknowledge the limits of debunking.”
This dovetails with the conclusions of this article: rand.org/pubs/perspecti…
Disinformation doesn’t merely present “alternate facts” it creates the sense that there is actually no knowable truths.
12/
This dovetails with the conclusions of this article: rand.org/pubs/perspecti…
Disinformation doesn’t merely present “alternate facts” it creates the sense that there is actually no knowable truths.
12/
#10 says: “adapt the response to the audience” and mentions those who can only “consume entertaining information.”
In other words (to put it bluntly) don’t try logic with people whose brains don’t function that way.
13/
In other words (to put it bluntly) don’t try logic with people whose brains don’t function that way.
13/
So “Trump is mean” might be a better message for some of your persuadable neighbors refuting Trump’s message with law and logic.
For decades, as the GOP morphed from a conservative to an authoritarian party, they’ve cloaked their devious means behind pretty words.
14/
For decades, as the GOP morphed from a conservative to an authoritarian party, they’ve cloaked their devious means behind pretty words.
14/
Trump made the subtext text.
Sometimes I think things are unfolding as they should. The truth is out in the open now.
California can show the way. (If you don’t know how California turned blue, here’s a thread for you ⤵️)
15/
Sometimes I think things are unfolding as they should. The truth is out in the open now.
California can show the way. (If you don’t know how California turned blue, here’s a thread for you ⤵️)
15/
One major change between the Nixon era and ours is the effectiveness of the right wing propaganda loop.
Also, in Nixon's era, the shifting of the parties wasn't complete. The parties were still in transition.
16/
Also, in Nixon's era, the shifting of the parties wasn't complete. The parties were still in transition.
16/
This is precisely why you have to adjust your argument to the person.
When you find a persuadable voter in real life (don't bother with Twitter People) ask questions before you make your pitch.
Find out what matters to the person.
17/
When you find a persuadable voter in real life (don't bother with Twitter People) ask questions before you make your pitch.
Find out what matters to the person.
17/
My threads are also blog posts. This one is here: terikanefield-blog.com/combatting-dis…
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