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gogithefish

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gogithefish
·4 years ago·discuss
"they just evaluate their level of trust with the source" — No. They evaluate it but how well it fits with their preconception and other ideas they already hold EVEN if it comes from a completely unknown source. Memes are usually part of a "memeplex" and reinforce one another. And the most powerful memes also undermine competing memes at the same time. (for example, the "don't trust the MSM" meme works well with "the election was rigged" meme.
gogithefish
·4 years ago·discuss
Possibly. Also important to note that by responding improperly to such threats, the institutions themselves end up weakening themselves. For example, instead of being honest about what vaccines can and can't do, they pre-empt the dumbest arguments by pretending vaccines are perfect. Once some (reasonable) limits to efficacy become known, the institutions are completely discredited and the anti-vaxxer meme becomes even more powerful.