Facebook is just one example of the reinforcement loops that dominate the news intake of the modern conservative. It started with talk radio and then FoxNews, who both claimed that they alone were providing their audience the truth, which led to the tuning out of other media.
What makes Facebook so dangerous is that the selection to only get views that agree with you is done entirely in the background. It’s not longer a choice that the consumer is aware of, but rather one that is made for the user—so they assume the dissenting voices are the others.
This is complicated with younger, more liberal users either abandoning the platform or removing, blocking or muting their more conservative family members to avoid arguments, family drama and/or embarrassment. Which means those voices are heard even less.
The thing is there’s no solution. But it’s also curious that Amanda Carpenter wants to talk about this without discussing her own past on thia subject. Alas.
Liberals have feedback loops too, but there’s more diversity in thought among them which makes them significantly less dangerous, in my opinion. Liberals define themselves by a set of broad beliefs. Conservatives defines themselves by opposition to liberals and fidelity to Trump.
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🧵 So, I have no idea if this is the end of Twitter, or just the end of Twitter as we know it, but it does seem--from the news reports--that its likely at the very list this website will be a different experience soon. /1
There is a comedian named Ardal O'Hanlon (@ardalsfolly) who has a bit about wanting to tell his father he loves him before he dies, but being afraid of getting the timing wrong and his father lives for another 15 years. It's a really great bit. /2
Well, it's possible that Twitter will still be here tomorrow, and this will all look silly and awkward, but I want to go through some of my favorite memories of this site, and thank some people who made my experience here a little less hellacious. /3
Named for the journalist kidnapped and murdered by militant Islamic terrorists while researching a story, the school focuses on journalism and communications as part of a comprehensive high school education.
The school paper, The Pearl Post, was recognized as High School Newspaper of the Year by the LA Press Club in 2016.
In November 2021, they reported that school librarian Greta Enszer had not been vaccinated and as a result the school library would be closed until further notice.
I think it’s interesting that a major problem in the discussion places surrounding pop culture is that some of the biggest fans of traditionally “nerdy” pop culture are unable to deal with the massive and uncontested victory they have achieved.
They did it. The geek inherited the Earth. And rather than accept their victory, they have fought it tooth and nail. Perhaps it wasn’t the stories or the characters they loved, but rather they enjoyed the feeling of being outsiders. Who knows.
The problem is that it often manifests in ways that are unhealthy. When a program, like Star Trek, tries to reach a new audience of outsiders (which is what Trek has always done) the older generation of Trek fans claim it’s not Star Trek, and complain about diversity.
Since the 1980s, hospitals have been replacing copper and brass surfaces with stainless steel. The reason? Copper and brass fade with time, while stainless steel retains its “new” look.
Here’s the thing: unlike stainless steel, copper and brass reduce the transition of disease.
In repeated studies, copper and brass objects have shown to break down bacteria and viruses quickly, when compared to other surfaces.
While COVID-19 can live on other surfaces for 72 hours, it dies on copper surfaces within four hours.
Here’s the thing: we knew this before.
Indeed, the disease prevention benefits of copper trace their ways all the way back to ancient Egypt, and is included on Smith's Papyrus, quite literally the oldest medical document known to man.
There seems to be a real disconnect here about the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict. I’ve seen a number of legal experts come in and explain why it shouldn’t have been a surprise that Rittenhouse was acquitted.
There seems to, lately, be this trend that something must be shocking or unexpected to be upsetting, but the reality is for many people that status quo is just as upsetting. Please stop responding to people who are upset with “why are you surprised”?
You help absolutely no one.
Indeed, Rittenhouse was always going to have a good chance at acquittal. Under Wisconsin’s self defense law, he has a right to defend himself from a threat against his life. And the video from that evening makes it clear that such a threat existed. No one debates this.
They also aren’t voiceless. In fact their voices are heard disproportionately more than people who got the vaccines months ago and are desperate for a booster shot to lower their risk of getting infected at all.
Of the Americans who have received at least one COVID-19 vaccination (66%), 76% would like a booster shot.
That means over 50% of Americans have had a COVID shot and want a booster shot.
When’s the last time you heard any of them interviewed?
We make decisions about the stories we tell. We’ve chosen to highlight stories of individuals quitting their jobs or otherwise defying vaccination mandates despite the fact that they make up less than 2% of the population of any of these groups. Why?