Misinformation Is Killing Democracy |
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Haitian immigrants are eating pet dogs and cats. Democrats control the weather (and people's thoughts) by spewing chemicals into the sky in airplane exhaust trails. Hilary Clinton personally runs a sex trafficking ring in the basement of a DC pizza parlor. Once upon a time, and not so long ago, conspiracy theories like these were so out there as to seem laughable. But in recent years, bizarre beliefs have become mainstream thought on the political right — helped along by malevolent billionaires, AI, and social media. What was once a tool used to rile the masses through hate and fear-mongering is now simply the norm. (Not surprisingly, studies show religiosity is correlated with susceptibility to conspiratorial thinking.) Here in Arizona, the GOP has become a hotbed of magical thinking. And while these bizarre perspectives may be based in fantasyland, they have very real impacts on election results... and our lives. So how do we, as people who care about rationality and reason, push back against this disturbing trend? This Friday, we'll talk about it with Matthew Facciani, a social scientist who studies the spread and effects of misinformation. Please join us at noon for this virtual presentation. |
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