Politicians exploit our willingness to remember something that appeals to us, regardless of whether it will eventually prove true or unfounded. PolitiFact.com, looked into 158 claims made by Trump since the start of his campaign and found that four out of five were at best “mostly false”. But by the time they have looked into a statement the said allegation has already spread like wildfire and is believed by millions. A prime example is the totally disproved allegation that President Obama was born in Kenya and is a moslem. One is tempted to laugh, but unfortunately many believe this total lie.
In his book “Lies Incorporated: The world of post-truth politics”, US radio host Ari Rabin-Havt talks of an industry of misinformation. He says that we bring much of it on ourselves. “When people are given a choice, they’re going to choose what’s comforting and easy for them,” he says. “They’re going to avoid information that challenges them and they therefore get stuck in echo chambers.”
About six in 10 US adults get their “news” primarily from social media, according to a recent Pew Research survey. Much of this “news” is a blend offact and opinion, which simply confirms already held political convictions. They rarely get to see anything that challenges their beliefs.
We are witnessing the dual effect of identity politics and the effect of the social media on society, causing a giant and growing rift that is very damaging. It is true that politically biased newspapers and radio stations have been with us for decades, but speed of spread of “information” now bears out the old adage that “lies spread everywhere while truth is still putting on its boots”.
What should Epicureans, interested in truth and the welfare of their country, do about all this? Epicurus told us to avoid politics altogether. My own suggestion is to ignore social media and see what Politifact has to say about current politics. It’s a quick read. For instance Trump claims “Inner-city crime is reaching record levels.” PolitiFact, on Tuesday, August 30th, 2016, commented: “A possible uptick doesn’t erase 25 years of decline”.
You’re right to note the effect of social media in creating an intellectual bubble that isolates people from perceivably distasteful views. I would only stress that this may apply more to the left than to the right. This is because the left’s adherents are younger and are therefore more likely to use social media. Young leftists also tend to be more politically correct and so more likely to shield themselves from content they deem ‘offensive.’