Illusory Truth Effect
Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2022 12:54 pm
So I was watching an episode of Bill Maher and he had Neil deGrasse Tyson as one of his guests. He went on to explain that the human brain is wired to accept things as being factual simply by hearing it over and over again. Even things that are obviously false can be understood as true via repetition. So I looked more into this and it is a real thing which I believe explains the FOX business model better than anything else. I always wondered how FOX could constantly push ideas that were obvious falsehoods, wondering how they could think anyone with a brain could ever believe this stuff. And now I know. I think they understand that narratives can be forced onto people's psyche via bombarding them with the same nonsense relentlessly. Things like Obamacare being government run healthcare was a falsehood they repeated literally hundreds of times over the course of just a few months.
More recently, lies about the border, vaccines, effects of COVID measures, the economy under Trump, the economy under Biden, the causes of inflation, the causes for increased crime, the reality of abortion laws, etc. It has an overwhelming effect on the masses when they're constantly bombarded with these memes that effectively turn us into ideological pawns. FOX is supposed to be a 24 hr "news" station like CNN started as, but the shows that bring in all the money are the "opinion shows" during prime time and the propaganda they push on us is everywhere. Even by refusing to watch FOX at home, I find myself seeing it at the local fast food places, the gyms, and even the airports. Even worse, I have to deal with people in my social sphere who watch it and believe it is their duty to "deconvert" me from all of my beliefs that are grounded in reality.
Just constant, relentless demonization of the "Left," blaming it for quite literally everything that's wrong in the country.
I often wondered how Nazi Germany was able to convince the majority of the population the evil things that were being said about the Jews, and now I believe it was through this same process. The constant bombardment of propaganda to such a degree that it became common knowledge that the Jews were evil creatures that needed to be eradicated. Today's America isn't anywhere close to that obviously, but my concern is trajectory. Clearly today's America is far more divisive, intolerant and bigoted than it was just 15 years ago. I bet any American in 2007 would laugh in your face if you were to tell them that in the upcoming election cycles America would elect a President who was a reality TV star who was caught on tape bragging about sexually assaulting women. They'd laugh at the notion that a twice impeached President would possibly get reelected after pushing Americans to inject themselves with chemicals to thwart a global pandemic. They'd laugh at this idea that white supremacy would make a strong comeback and that white cops would literally murder black people on camera knowing full well they were being recorded. They'd scoff at the idea that black people in the 21st century would ever be treated like they were in the 1950's. Like being chased down in suburbia by two rednecks in a truck, and then gunned down just after being called the N word. But that's the America we live in right now.
When we watch FOX today, they're far more aggressive and shameless than they were just five years ago. Whenever they host anyone with a different point of view (usually by accident) they're literally shouted down and the subject is changed because exposing their audience to points that refute their preferred narrative is contrary to their purpose for existing. Today's Conservative media cannot win arguments honestly, they have to shape minds by sheer bullying with repetitious falsehoods, while the same talking head "panelists" who go on their shows are only there because their job is to push a narrative and to mock the left at every chance.
The question is, what are we to do about it? Can anything be done about it?
FOX news has shown no tendency to temper itself. Their nonstop hate driven mantra is driving Americans towards this idea that a civil war is coming.
More than 40% of Americans believe a Civil War is imminent. That's no small thing. The upcoming election is likely to turn power over to the Republicans, and dozens of them across the nation are running for office with the intention to overthrow any future elections won by democrats. A failed coup attempt by Trump, when it goes unpunished, becomes nothing more than a training exercise.
My question is, at what point do we not allow Freedom of Speech to become a threat to National Security?
I've proposed regulations on news outlets and strengthening our libel laws, but that quickly turned into one of those "you're just like the Nazis wanting to suppress free speech" reactions.
OK, so let's just watch our country burn?
More recently, lies about the border, vaccines, effects of COVID measures, the economy under Trump, the economy under Biden, the causes of inflation, the causes for increased crime, the reality of abortion laws, etc. It has an overwhelming effect on the masses when they're constantly bombarded with these memes that effectively turn us into ideological pawns. FOX is supposed to be a 24 hr "news" station like CNN started as, but the shows that bring in all the money are the "opinion shows" during prime time and the propaganda they push on us is everywhere. Even by refusing to watch FOX at home, I find myself seeing it at the local fast food places, the gyms, and even the airports. Even worse, I have to deal with people in my social sphere who watch it and believe it is their duty to "deconvert" me from all of my beliefs that are grounded in reality.
Just constant, relentless demonization of the "Left," blaming it for quite literally everything that's wrong in the country.
I often wondered how Nazi Germany was able to convince the majority of the population the evil things that were being said about the Jews, and now I believe it was through this same process. The constant bombardment of propaganda to such a degree that it became common knowledge that the Jews were evil creatures that needed to be eradicated. Today's America isn't anywhere close to that obviously, but my concern is trajectory. Clearly today's America is far more divisive, intolerant and bigoted than it was just 15 years ago. I bet any American in 2007 would laugh in your face if you were to tell them that in the upcoming election cycles America would elect a President who was a reality TV star who was caught on tape bragging about sexually assaulting women. They'd laugh at the notion that a twice impeached President would possibly get reelected after pushing Americans to inject themselves with chemicals to thwart a global pandemic. They'd laugh at this idea that white supremacy would make a strong comeback and that white cops would literally murder black people on camera knowing full well they were being recorded. They'd scoff at the idea that black people in the 21st century would ever be treated like they were in the 1950's. Like being chased down in suburbia by two rednecks in a truck, and then gunned down just after being called the N word. But that's the America we live in right now.
When we watch FOX today, they're far more aggressive and shameless than they were just five years ago. Whenever they host anyone with a different point of view (usually by accident) they're literally shouted down and the subject is changed because exposing their audience to points that refute their preferred narrative is contrary to their purpose for existing. Today's Conservative media cannot win arguments honestly, they have to shape minds by sheer bullying with repetitious falsehoods, while the same talking head "panelists" who go on their shows are only there because their job is to push a narrative and to mock the left at every chance.
The question is, what are we to do about it? Can anything be done about it?
FOX news has shown no tendency to temper itself. Their nonstop hate driven mantra is driving Americans towards this idea that a civil war is coming.
More than 40% of Americans believe a Civil War is imminent. That's no small thing. The upcoming election is likely to turn power over to the Republicans, and dozens of them across the nation are running for office with the intention to overthrow any future elections won by democrats. A failed coup attempt by Trump, when it goes unpunished, becomes nothing more than a training exercise.
My question is, at what point do we not allow Freedom of Speech to become a threat to National Security?
I've proposed regulations on news outlets and strengthening our libel laws, but that quickly turned into one of those "you're just like the Nazis wanting to suppress free speech" reactions.
OK, so let's just watch our country burn?