@W32 said in US Politics:
@Winger said in US Politics:
@Victor-Meldrew said in US Politics:
Apparently
Apparently according to whom.
Maybe for once the media has been accurate and professional with their reporting. As unlikely as this is/
It seems when it suits your viewpoint, the media is to be trusted. It always amazes me that people are willing to believe an obscure youtube channel, but wont listen to "the mainstream media" Perhaps better to use/discard all media to form an informed opinion. "Mainstream media" is just like any other media
This false equivalence drives part of the problem I think. For all the faults of mainstream media, all the things they get wrong, and all the biases the various outlets show, they are not the same as some fuckwit with a youtube channel. They have news, and they have opinion pieces (dressed up as analysis). They can be sued when they make shit up, and they even make retractions from time to time when they have spouted provable bullshit.
The shit catering to conspiracy theorists has no such limits, and johnny conspiracy theorist can't tell the difference. It's the RT model - make the concept of truth malleable, everything can be doubted, and people can choose what they want to believe. They do this via google etc, and the algorithms are self-reinforcing. Then the people who are dissatisfied with their lives, and feel a lack of control over their world will gravitate to conspiracy via their desire to have someone to blame - the elites who control everything - while championing those who do anything (up to and including starting a war) which goes against the status quo/institutions. It doesn't even matter that their very heroes are the epitome of controlling elite.
it's fucking bizarre frankly, but then i guess so is the popularity of soccer and shit pop music.