Social Media is probably the worst invention of all time. The amount of societal damage being done is incredible. An entire generation of people are drowning in conspiracy theories pushed by bad actors and governments. I don't know if it's possible to bring those people back to reality. - ThreadSky

fermissocks.bsky.social • 201 days ago

Social Media is probably the worst invention of all time. The amount of societal damage being done is incredible.

An entire generation of people are drowning in conspiracy theories pushed by bad actors and governments. I don't know if it's possible to bring those people back to reality.

Comments

donmackinnon.dev•200 days ago

It’s been a net negative for society in the US IMO. In some countries it’s the only way for people to freely communicate

fermissocks.bsky.social•198 days ago

That is an upside at least.

tommytimp.bsky.social•200 days ago

Piss on this. Religion is the worst invention of all time. Like this is the worst fucking thing that's ever happened in the world.

hughster.bsky.social•201 days ago

Not just social media but podcasts (mainly Spotify) and video sites (mainly YouTube).

All we needed to stop this stuff was for the major platforms that host this content to be strongly policed to remove extremism, misinformation and conspiracism. They didn't, and here we are.

rebeccaore.bsky.social•200 days ago

The FSLN doesn't argue; it just posts photos of it's accomplishments. The government in Nicaragua has never filtered out the opposition. And we're not having riots and the economy is improving. The government does follow social media, and some gringos have gotten talked to.

carlamd.bsky.social•200 days ago

2nd graders are infected w the #MAGAvirus in my community a long with their parents, grandparents and great grandparents but we can all thank Fox News and conservative radio for starting the epidemic.

zjpereira.bsky.social•200 days ago

My cousin thinks Beyoncé is out killing people to protect Diddy all because she saw it of Facebook 😒

datamonkey08.bsky.social•200 days ago

If she could get a first draft script banged out quickly, I'm pretty sure she could get a Netflix movie deal for that scenario

rowlandville.bsky.social•200 days ago

Yes. But I think most of that is driven by algorithms.

krankepantzen.bsky.social•200 days ago

Disinformation technology (DT) is to American democracy as, say, the machine gun was to the soldiers and generals of WWI. One supposes eventually we'll find an adequate response, in this case presumably a regulatory rather than military response, but wonders the damage done in the interim.

trizellini.bsky.social•200 days ago

Agreed. Social media will be the downfall of civilization.

instantdogma.bsky.social•200 days ago

How long have folks believed in an invisible man in the sky?

vonnie.bsky.social•200 days ago

I feel the same way .. but as with many things, we can’t deny it out of existence. We’ll have to figure out how to make it less dangerous. I have no ideas 😞

logan.rossignol-gordon.tech•201 days ago

Probably, but it requires the right person to do I think. But your basic fact checking, community noting - that clearly doesn't work.

rebeccaore.bsky.social•200 days ago

You have to have emotional traction with people to change their minds. There are things I don't explain, but leave to people who do have emotional connections with to do that explaining. Trusting people not to be lying? That's a hard one.

rebeccaore.bsky.social•200 days ago

Took a Contra woman to get another Contra woman to understand churches were not being burned in Managua despite on-line videos (from Mexico). When you approach people as though they were stupid, you will fail to convince them that you are the good person.

mylifeasabook.bsky.social•201 days ago

Looking people in the eye and speaking kindly and truthfully doesn't either.

logan.rossignol-gordon.tech•201 days ago

Honestly it probably requires some form of manipulation to get them back. Like not something a normal reasonable person would be good at doing i think

drybird.bsky.social•200 days ago

Or. You make being logical and moral cool. And they'll return.

logan.rossignol-gordon.tech•200 days ago

Idk, I feel like those things already are cool. There are folks that do that already too, but they might be too "left" leaning or have too much of a reputation to work. I think in either case, it may not work online, I think this is something that needs to be done in person with friends + family

drybird.bsky.social•200 days ago

I disagree on if it's possible. I will though agree that it isn't probable.

mylifeasabook.bsky.social•200 days ago

Honestly, I think it is both. Intellectualism is seen as elitism. Expertise is disparaged. I grew up admiring those qualities. I didn't feel threatened by people exhibiting them--I was inspired. I work with kids, and my redoubled mission has been to make being curious cool.

killerb.bsky.social•200 days ago

It may be possible but it may not be something we can do. It's going to take the death of a certain elderly politician in poor health before things start turning around. Hopefully, it will fall about like many cults do after the loss of their leader.

chrismshea.bsky.social•200 days ago

Once a fascist, always a fascist.

terrybones.bsky.social•200 days ago

Might have started with latch key kids. (Gen x) They weren’t watching the after school specials.

amysawyerhair.bsky.social•200 days ago

Could not agree more✌🏻🩵

jennknut.bsky.social•200 days ago

we all need deprogramming at this point

anticapitalistmusings.com•200 days ago

I’ve been reflecting on conspiracy theories lately. When does healthy scrutiny cross the line into unhealthy obsession? Take Q-Anon—complete nonsense—versus the idea of the deep state as part of the tripartite state (alongside administration and security), which I find more plausible.

bipolrbear.bsky.social•200 days ago

I could go back and show you 10 years of me saying this exact thing

The internet is the greatest invention in human history

Social media is the worst invention in human history

People used to say I was crazy. Now they are coming around.

Bring Cassandra really sucks.

cleome.bsky.social•200 days ago

I would argue that Rupert Murdoch was the worst thing that happened to America ( and Britain and Australia). His network has brain washed a bunch of people and social media added tinder to the flames

fermissocks.bsky.social•198 days ago

Tabloid news taken into the mainstream.

cleome.bsky.social•198 days ago

Even worse: outright lies masquerading as the truth under the guise of legitimate journalism. Deliberate suppression of news that is favorable to the opposition.

jason66762.bsky.social•200 days ago

And we now have an orange headed president to prove it.

madgreek2024.bsky.social•200 days ago

Yet here we are... enjoying breakfast together

lindamiki.bsky.social•201 days ago

💙

justrachel.bsky.social•200 days ago

It will take decades for social scientists, doctors, psychiatrists, and psychologists to understand the implications for the world. Something core to the human psyche is broken, changed, devolved? I’m not sure that makes it a bad invention so much as an effective tool whether used for good or bad.

justrachel.bsky.social•200 days ago

We’re the weak link. Humans weren’t built to handle this much “input” all the damn time. Our whole biological reward systems are corrupt at this point.

rebeccaore.bsky.social•200 days ago

Traditionally, those professions, along with priests, are used to control dissent. I took Russian in college and one of the stories portrayed a dissident woman as neurotic and kinda hysterical. Humans have always been weird. See also uncensored cave paintings of some stone age murders.

kunikos.bsky.social•200 days ago

It does rather encourage people who have nothing to say to write screeds about their opinions.

fermissocks.bsky.social•198 days ago

Myself included! 😉

rebeccaore.bsky.social•200 days ago

Conspiracy theories have always been there. The rich knights have always been "terrible worm in iron cocoons," and people spent money on miraculous cures. Take a look sometime at the mottos needle-burned into lace bobbins.

bashowicks.bsky.social•200 days ago

If this election isn’t a true reflection of this statement, and if we fail to recognize it’s a culprit of what’s failing society, then I’m afraid we’re doomed for generations to come. And I say this as someone that grew up on social as an extension of my identity, and my generation fed this beast.

tleighb.bsky.social•200 days ago

It started before social media. Infecting American society with Christianity is what’s caused the devolution of our country. They hear voices & act based on those voices. If they didn’t call them god & Jesus they’d be under the care of a psychiatrist 🤷🏼‍♀️

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