Our defenses to propaganda aren't natural: We have to build them.
Lots of those defenses are institutional, like real-time fact-checking or limiting the use of bots.
But they're also personal.[thread]
Until recently, we had never been subjected to an environment in which media, social media, and elected officials could form a solid circle of misinformation.
And it will feel incredibly natural. That's how we form beliefs. We look for validation.
You might encounter the occasional relative or co-worker who provides a counter-narrative, but they're hopelessly outmatched compared to the level of belief validation you're getting from the circle.
This is not the same as forcing ourselves to hate-watch the other side's propaganda. That just reinforces our circle.
-Use your platform to actively undercut propaganda by pushing out credible information.
-Act in good faith.
-Don't speak as if you and your allies possess all the truth.
The question is how quickly we can do it, and whether new techniques will continue to outpace us.
My hope is that this will be an extinction-level event for politicians who exist simply to engage in crass manipulation. But it may not.
And its impact likely exceeds other pernicious forces, like gerrymandering or a corrupt campaign finance system.
So we should learn to speak to it directly.