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Monday, October 21, 2024

Stop the Conspiracies: Election Fables Lie

The NIH, Chicago University, and Scientific American confirm the danger of America's tendency to believe conspiracy theories. Even The Wall Street Journal has debunked Trump/Vance's elaborate migrant lies. If you ever had a dog or cat companion, you know that sometimes they decide to roam. 
     I've seen it many times: little dogs trotting down the street at night, quietly exploring while their frantic "owners" suddenly realize they're gone and drive around trying to find them. Animals can travel many miles and still find their way back to you, even if you've just moved to a new location that they've seen only once. It happened with one of my cats (before I became too allergic to live with animals). He disappeared for a week from a place and State he'd never been, then turned up in the garage one morning.   Wherever he had gone, he found his way back. 
     Conspiracy theories just stir up trouble. Still, even I found myself wondering if Trump faked his assassination attempts. I dismissed the thought then found an article in the BBC about Trump supporters and Democrats who thought the same thing. Social media "algorithms draw people deeper into a world detached from reality." 
    (Also, today NPR's "Speak Freely-IA" podcast is about AI and the Election.)
     And from today's Atlantic Daily, Election Disinformation is Getting Worse: "Disinformation is meant to incite fear and muddy the waters. If you see something on social media that sparks an emotional reaction like fear or anger—whether it’s someone saying they’re being blocked from voting at their polling place or that a certain political party is transporting suitcases of ballots—check it out. Entertain the possibility that it’s not true."

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