Why we fall for fake news
I’ll be the first to admit that my knowledge of global politics is limited. I have, however, co-founded a media start-up that analyzed the spin and slant of news, studied human psychology and group dynamics, and been the subject of a false media narrative, so I have a few things to say about polarizing narratives and disinformation. False reports surrounding the war in Ukraine may or may not be worse than other events, but they certainly seem to be rampant, glaringly obvious, and, in some cases, outlandish and absurd. Recycled imagery, mis-interpreted TikTok videos, and completely made-up stories are being shared by news outlets and major social media accounts alike, and support of Ukraine is being sported like a fashion statement. Additionally, and ironically, sometimes we can’t even tell if the reports denouncing a fake news blunder are actually fake news themselves. It takes a lot of critical thought and self-restraint not to get swayed by all the compelling memes and viral content, but awareness is key. Here are some of the contributing factors that cloud our judgment and feed our culture of disinformation.
Gossip as currency
Gossip is nothing new and with improved technology, the mechanisms through which people can propagate hearsay and boost their social currency have only increased. Some people have entire careers based on sharing juicy information, the scarcer the better, and the more salacious, sexy, and “click-baity,” the more valuable. No one likes to be the last to know and being the first to know is especially gratifying. This practice is one thing when feasting on rumors about celebrities’ latest NFT indulgences, but when discussing events happening in a violent conflict in real time, it’s a different story entirely. The effects can be catastrophic. Still, the impulse is the same. We want to be “the one” to share the information because it means something about us that we’ve either discovered it, been entrusted with it, or are now the arbiters of it. We believe sharing information makes us valuable and rather than take the time and energy to investigate the source or the accuracy of the information, we jump at the chance to get that rush of pressing “publish.” We can then sit back and wait for the likes and retweets to roll in. The deeper question to ask ourselves is what value are we bringing by sharing this information, and what value could we be destroying if it’s false? Is it worth it? And if you want to go deeper with it, what if that information was about us or someone we love, would we handle it the same?
Detachment from reality
In addition to the gossip impulse, we are increasingly detached from reality and dependent on technology to tell us how and what to think. From driving directions to having whatever we want delivered to our door, we are less and less connected to where things come from and less apt to need to figure things out for ourselves. “Hey Siri” has displaced the painful moments between curiosity and knowledge. This also makes us less able to quickly discern information that is plausible, or approach it with rigorous skepticism. It used to be that some rumors could be quickly and easily debunked with simple logic and common sense. But as more people are unaware of how things work and where things come from, especially in other parts of the world, it’s much easier to “sell someone a bridge,” as the saying goes.
Punishing “WrongThink”
The reality is, you can be attacked more for having an unpopular, yet true point of view than having a popular, yet completely false idea. We are conditioned to comply with what our tribe deems acceptable. It’s pro-survival. And even more, if we are vocal in toeing the party line, we will be praised. For this reason, perhaps more than the others, we are encouraged to share and express views that we know will get the support of the crowd we want to impress. And if we can be one of the first or the loudest? Even better.
Confirmation bias
A simple yet prevalent instance in which we are less likely to question certain tropes or stories is when we agree with the underlying sentiment and it affirms our pre-conceived notions. Our brains are constantly looking to confirm what we already think and feel is true, so the more we can hit that trigger, the better and safer we feel, even though it’s not entirely logical. Nothing feels better than being right, right? Depends. If you don’t leave the house for two years because the narrative tells you COVID will kill you, and you don’t catch COVID and you don’t die, but you become depressed and miserable while other people are out living their lives, maybe you want to prioritize another feeling over being right.
Fear limits perception
Fear sells. Why? Because people who are joyful and fulfilled are far less likely to go on frivolous spending sprees or buy things to fill the existential void inside. Also, fear keeps the masses feeling dependent, wanting protection, and less likely to step out of line. When people are in a fearful state, their fight or flight mechanism tells their focus to narrow to deal with the imminent danger. This is not a state conducive to expansive, critical thought. So, if someone is constantly feeling fear, even at a low level, they are going to latch onto ideas and “facts” that make them feel safe, no matter how unreliable or unlikely. People in a state of fear are also more likely to defer to authority and make decisions to avoid conflict or discomfort, even if it doesn’t serve them in the long run.
Desperate for connection
Sharing information through social media is less and less about the information itself and more about social signaling. We put out a signal with the hope that others will engage and, as a result, we will feel a sense of connection. Instead of sharing the truth of our loneliness and desire for connection, we share a meme and hope others will respond with the same enjoyment or appreciation we have, or we share a selfie with the hope that others will tell us we look good and are thereby wanted and lovable. It’s both sad and endearing, but ultimately counter-productive. These connections are not what helps us find deeper meaning and typically only lead to greater desperation and need for validation.
No consequences
Lastly, not only because the primitive impulse to share shady yet provocative info is high, it’s also because the consequences of being caught are pretty much non-existent. This even goes for journalists who, these days, are rarely held accountable for propagating misinformation, so long as it aligns with socially acceptable narratives. The New York Times just published an article saying that the fake memes coming out about Ukraine, while provably false, actually had a positive impact on morale, might be justifiable as morale boosters. This might even be shocking if we weren’t living in a time where legacy media is a parody of itself, but so it is. Celebrities, influencers, and even “real” journalists can share fake facts with little to no consequences, so the question becomes, why not?
In response to a tweet I made recently that said, “News is now basically fashion. People believe based on what makes them feel good, how others will view them, or what will garner attention.” Joey Jones of Fox News quote-tweeted and said, “I battle this daily. It’s my job to fight the very human emotion that accompanies praise for the sake of accuracy. Especially when I’m delivering an opinion on a policy issue. Self-awareness is half the battle.” And he’s absolutely right. Self-awareness is half the battle. I’ve been the culprit of fake news dissemination myself. I once tweeted a quote that I thought was by George Orwell. It said, “In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” The irony still makes me laugh, plus the fact that besides the hate I got calling me out, I also got a lot of new followers. A lot of people retweeted it and didn’t mind that it’s apparently not a real quote. I’ve always issued corrections when I’ve made a mistake, but there’s always a chance I’ve shared something without knowing it was less than accurate too. Perhaps there’s no avoiding it in this age of constant communication and streams of consciousness, but at least we can become more critical, questioning, and discerning. And more importantly, we can notice and become curious about what drives us to want to believe things that may be of questionable origin. Why do I want to believe that Russian soldiers are being located by their Tinder profiles? Why are stories that pull on our heartstrings so compelling that we stop wondering if they’re true? Why do I need to have a strong opinion on a conflict and a country I’ve never talked about before in my life outside of movies and basic history? These questions are important. Arguably, they are more important than whether this or that photo was real or photoshopped. If we make peace with the drivers that lead to distorting reality, we can make peace with ourselves and live more in reality, which, in my opinion is the best place to be.
