Why do people fall for fake news?

[David T]

Are they blinded by their political ideology? Or are they just intellectually lazy?

so your political idiology is correct by hard work intellectually? Really?

Lots of very hard working intellectualizing folk run around believing something rarer than a unicorn. Birth and genetic defects. Like some nut job religious fanatic point and declaring sin we must fix the sin sinner, you are sinning all the time!! Same nut.

Smart nutjobs dumb nutjobs still a nutjob regardless pretending in things less real than unicorns.

So birth defects real?

 

[David T]

The bible calls it "itching ears".

Its a birth defect.

 

[Audie]

People will believe what they WANT to be true way more often than they will believe something that they don't want to be true, is true. So the question becomes why would we WANT to be deceived? And the answer is that we are getting something that we need/want from the deception. What we are getting varies from person to person, and from issue to issue, but we are getting something in exchange for the willing self-deception.

One of the most common things people get from willful self-deception is the illusion of self-righteousness and superiority. Our egos seek constant validation no matter how right or wrong we might be, and if we don't learn to reign it in, it'll happily have us following the most absurdly improbable rationales to gain that validation.

Is that you being described, or only them
benighted others?

 

[Martin]

Fake news has been around longer than trump. IMO it became prominent during Obama’s To try and discredit him at every turn. The it exploded with the rise social media and became mainstream with Donald Trump.

Don't worry, I blame Trump for everything. He deserves it.
In English slang "trump" means fart, which is probably how history will remember him.

 

[suncowiam]

Because most people are idiots. And that is the primary flaw of a Democracy.

 

[ChristineM]

Are they blinded by their political ideology? Or are they just intellectually lazy?

People like what they want to hear.

 

[Jollybear]

Yes the question is who’s intellectually lazy or blinded by their political beliefs. Because fake news consists of "news" that is blatantly false

Yea, so the question should be, how do you know whats fake vs real news? You got to think and ask the right questions in order to figure out whats real vs fake.

 

[Prometheus85]

Yea, so the question should be, how do you know whats fake vs real news? You got to think and ask the right questions in order to figure out whats real vs fake.

CHECK THE SOURCE
If you’re reading an article on a website you’ve never heard of before, take a look at the website’s “Contact” and “About Us” pages. If the site is meant to be satirical, these pages will typically have a disclaimer.
Realt news outlets want their readers to be able to contact them and learn more about them.

DON’T JUDGE A BOOK (OR A NEWS ARTICLE IN THIS CASE), BY IT’S COVER
Unreliable sites will often use misleading headlines to lure in readers and clicks. Before sharing a story with an outrageous claim, keep reading – what’s the whole story? Did the author bury the lead in efforts to make the story more attractive? Were credible and trustworthy sources used to back up the claim made in the headline?

ARE OTHER NEWS SITES REPORTING ON THE STORY?
Chances are, if the majority of other news sites are reporting on the same story, it’s at least partially true. Read multiple stories on the same subject to see what sources are being used and where the differences lie.

 

[Jollybear]

CHECK THE SOURCE
If you’re reading an article on a website you’ve never heard of before, take a look at the website’s “Contact” and “About Us” pages. If the site is meant to be satirical, these pages will typically have a disclaimer.
Realt news outlets want their readers to be able to contact them and learn more about them.

DON’T JUDGE A BOOK (OR A NEWS ARTICLE IN THIS CASE), BY IT’S COVER
Unreliable sites will often use misleading headlines to lure in readers and clicks. Before sharing a story with an outrageous claim, keep reading – what’s the whole story? Did the author bury the lead in efforts to make the story more attractive? Were credible and trustworthy sources used to back up the claim made in the headline?

ARE OTHER NEWS SITES REPORTING ON THE STORY?
Chances are, if the majority of other news sites are reporting on the same story, it’s at least partially true. Read multiple stories on the same subject to see what sources are being used and where the differences lie.

I agree. Great advice. Now follow it.

 

[Prometheus85]

I agree. Great advice. Now follow it.

No you follow it. Since u don’t bother checking the sources of the links you post on this forum. Remember those climate change links you posted that was easily debunked? And yet u still held on to those beliefs while ignoring the evidence that contradicted your beliefs.

 

[oldbadger]

Are they blinded by their political ideology? Or are they just intellectually lazy?

It's like scuttle-butt, or neighbourhood whispers.

Give a dog a bad name and it will be that name very quickly.
Can you imagine how quickly it would stick if somebody whispered that they thought you might be on a sex offender's list. ??
Fake News can be the most wicked action.
And cries of 'Fake News' are often made to refute and dismiss truth.

It's all about humans, I'm afraid.,

 

[Jollybear]

No you follow it. Since u don’t bother checking the sources of the links you post on this forum. Remember those climate change links you posted that was easily debunked? And yet u still held on to those beliefs while ignoring the evidence that contradicted your beliefs.

No they wernt debunked. Your so called deb7nking article admitted it could not verify its accusation. Yet you wont admit the same thing your source admitted.

So, you follow your own advice.

 

[wellwisher]

Not just news there's a lot of fake documentaries there people are falling for.

It seems to have reached the level where it's a type of 'epidemic'.

I think a lot of it has to do with people putting blind trust in who they consider experts and failed to do research themselves to see if it's true or not.

So yeah, intellectual laziness does play a role I think.

When I was young, what it now called fake news, used to be called supermarket tabloids; National Enquirer. These publications were geared towards woman and were strategically placed at the check out lines at supermarkets. It was full of celebrity gossip, and outrageous claims such as I am a Big Foot love child. Women like to be lied to, if it makes them feel good. This was the appeal of the tabloid.

This tabloid template is now called main stream news. The mainstream status is more than likely due to the feminization of culture. What use to appeal the housewife is now forced on everyone.

Back in the day, it became increasing taboo to be a straight male based on divisive leftist ideology. It is no coincidence that the main sources of fake news today are also the propaganda wings of the Democrat party. It is still full of celebrity gossip and how Big Foot is causing climate change.

Ask yourself what is the position of fake news when it comes to climate change? Then ask yourself, why would they become truthful for just one issue, but then lie about the rest? Fake new does not do truth It is designed to deceive and entertain at the same time. Predicting disaster was also part of the tabloid template. Some women liked scary things and tabloids tired to push everyone buttons to maximize readership.

 

[PureX]

When I was young, what it now called fake news, used to be called supermarket tabloids; National Enquirer. These publications were geared towards woman and were strategically placed at the check out lines at supermarkets. It was full of celebrity gossip, and outrageous claims such as I am a Big Foot love child. Women like to be lied to, if it makes them feel good. This was the appeal of the tabloid.

We don't actually know who bought those rags. I'm pretty sure it was the same folks that thought "professional wrastlin'" was a real sport, and that the "wrastlers" were not just theatrical personas. And those audiences, as I recall, contained plenty of men. Mostly men, in fact. So the assertion that women as a whole like to be lied to, or that men don't, doesn't hold water.

This tabloid template is now called main stream news.

Well, not exactly. Rupert Murdock, who made his fortune selling those supermarket tabloids used his money to start a TV network, where he continued to use the tabloid news (fake news) model to make even more money. But there was a new twist on the material, as media personalities like Rush Limbaugh, Howard Stern, Mort Downey Jr., Jerry Springer, and Morey Povich discovered that they could gain a significant audience by presenting fodder for the audience's righteous indignation. Turns out people really like looking down on other people, so as to feel better about themselves. Limbaugh did it via political muckraking, Stern did it mostly with/to celebrities, Mort Downey Jr. invented the 'fake issue' melodrama, Jerry Springer presented an endless parade of outrageous social "losers" for the audience to scoff at, and Morey Povich exploited every horrible racial/sexual stereotype he could to stir up viewer's righteous indignation.

Turns out we American LOVE to pass judgment on each other so as to feel superior, and will do so at pretty much any opportunity that we're presented with. So these media outlets had found themselves an excellent way to keep the eyes on the ads, which is, after all, how they make their money. And this model of presenting us with fodder for our self-righteous indignation has worked so well that even the upstanding, main-stream news media outlets have had to stoop to this sort of ego-baiting just to compete with the tabloid media outlets. Seems we Americans like judging and condemning each other even more that we like actually knowing what's really going on. The true news just scares and depresses us, while the fake news gives us an endless parade of criminals and losers to blame everything on, and to feel superior to.

 

[Audie]

Don't worry, I blame Trump for everything. He deserves it.
In English slang "trump" means fart, which is probably how history will remember him.

He caused the blackout in Manhattan the other day.
I heard about that.

 

[Audie]

We don't actually know who bought those rags. I'm pretty sure it was the same folks that thought "professional wrastlin'" was a real sport, and that the "wrastlers" were not just theatrical personas. And those audiences, as I recall, contained plenty of men. Mostly men, in fact. So the assertion that women as a whole like to be lied to, or that men don't, doesn't hold water.
Well, not exactly. Rupert Murdock, who made his fortune selling those supermarket tabloids used his money to start a TV network, where he continued to use the tabloid news (fake news) model to make even more money. But there was a new twist on the material, as media personalities like Rush Limbaugh, Howard Stern, Mort Downey Jr., Jerry Springer, and Morey Povich discovered that they could gain a significant audience by presenting fodder for the audience's righteous indignation. Turn out people really like looking down on other people, to feel better about themselves. Limbaugh did via politics, Stern did it mostly with/to celebrities, Mort Downey Jr. invented the 'fake issue' melodrama, Jerry Springer presented an endless parade of social "losers" for the audience to scoff at, And Morey Povich exploited ever horrible racial stereotype.

Turns out American LOVE to pass judgment on each other so as to feel superior, and will do so at every opportunity they're presented. So these media outlets found themselves an excellent way to keep the eyes on the adds, which is, after all, how they make their money. And this model of presenting us with fodder for our self-righteous indignation has worked so well that even the upstanding, main-stream media outlets have had to stood to this sort of ego-baiting just to compete with the tabloid media outlets. Seems we Americans like judging and condemning each other even more that we like actually knowing what's really going on. The true news just scares us, while the fake news gives us an endless parade of criminals and losers to blame everything on, and to feel superior to.

I stopped scrolling up from my post long enough to read just
this one line.

...Turns out American LOVE to pass judgment on each other so as to feel superior,.....

And I guessed who wrote it.

Nah

Not really.

I knew who wrote it.

 

[Audie]

When I was young, what it now called fake news, used to be called supermarket tabloids; National Enquirer. These publications were geared towards woman and were strategically placed at the check out lines at supermarkets. It was full of celebrity gossip, and outrageous claims such as I am a Big Foot love child. Women like to be lied to, if it makes them feel good. This was the appeal of the tabloid.

This tabloid template is now called main stream news. The mainstream status is more than likely due to the feminization of culture. What use to appeal the housewife is now forced on everyone.

Back in the day, it became increasing taboo to be a straight male based on divisive leftist ideology. It is no coincidence that the main sources of fake news today are also the propaganda wings of the Democrat party. It is still full of celebrity gossip and how Big Foot is causing climate change.

Ask yourself what is the position of fake news when it comes to climate change? Then ask yourself, why would they become truthful for just one issue, but then lie about the rest? Fake new does not do truth It is designed to deceive and entertain at the same time. Predicting disaster was also part of the tabloid template. Some women liked scary things and tabloids tired to push everyone buttons to maximize readership.

Let me guess whether you've ever been a nit with the ladies.