Yes, I agree! I think “too much information and people have a difficult time telling what to trust” is a more accurate and nuanced descriptor than “misinformation”! and that your point about
more general improvements in communication strategies/governance/economic growth could be more important.
would go a really long way.
I wonder that if people could more generally feel like they had a say and a stake in the way that the country is run, to the point where a regular person could advocate for improvements for themselves and their communities, that there would be more understanding and trust in government and public health institutions. I suspect that when people feel like they’re screwed, it makes the situation more ripe for misinformation to affect people. Here’s a paper that talks about how sharers of misinfo are more likely to express existentially based needs (e.g. fear of death or other threats). https://arxiv.org/pdf/2203.10560.pdf
Yes, I agree! I think “too much information and people have a difficult time telling what to trust” is a more accurate and nuanced descriptor than “misinformation”! and that your point about
would go a really long way.
I wonder that if people could more generally feel like they had a say and a stake in the way that the country is run, to the point where a regular person could advocate for improvements for themselves and their communities, that there would be more understanding and trust in government and public health institutions. I suspect that when people feel like they’re screwed, it makes the situation more ripe for misinformation to affect people. Here’s a paper that talks about how sharers of misinfo are more likely to express existentially based needs (e.g. fear of death or other threats). https://arxiv.org/pdf/2203.10560.pdf