@adde Certainly true for #brexit, but I think the underlying problem is even bigger than that. There appears to be to be a growing and somewhat global refusal to accept reality. In the US, just look at the rise and normalization of groups that are anti-science, anti-vaxx, election-deniers, etc. A common theme here is that you pick your own alternate reality and go with it regardless of facts.
@aebrockwell @adde We've always had bs peddlers and, while they had the opportunity to influence people, it was nothing like the exposure that they can exploit now. Before advances in technology and widespread access to the internet, their influence was limited to media that had a shelf-life of 24hrs or less. TV exposure depended on their target audience catching it at the time of broadcast and one day's news article was the next day's chips wrapper. 1/2
@aebrockwell @adde Aside from leafleting or standing on a soapbox, they could only rely on a diluted retelling.
Now, bs peddlers can spread the same lies but they are no longer limited to a regional or national audience. They now have a global one and their bs now has a limitless 'shelf-life'. It can be repeated, reworded, rebranded and re-consumed indefinitely, by an audience, ill-equipped and unprepared to be able to discern lies from truths. 2/2
@aebrockwell U are correct and to be honest, i don't know how to deal with that. Common sense is not helping as those individuals won't listen to it anyway...