People who get all their news from social media are stupid. I mean this not as an insult but as a precise description of what happens to the human brain when subjected to these information conditions.
100%. Luckily, I'm of a generation before social media reduced our brain mass. Reading books, articles, magazines, and listening to radio, now podcasts gave me foundational knowledge. That future-proofed me against propaganda. Rolf Dobelli said it best, "The less news you consume, the bigger the advantage you have. News has no explanatory power. News items are bubbles popping on the surface of a deeper world."
"That furure-proofed me against propaganda." I never thought of it that way, but you're right. I, too, grew up when social media was in its infancy and never got into it. Tried Twitter briefly when Michael Phelps was in the Olympics and being criticized for smoking pot so I could blurb to him to ignore that crap (with no expectation he would read it) but dropped off after that. It seemed self-indulgent and I prefer research and analysis and learning from individuals who can lay out a case in more words than a sound byte.
I too am of a different generation except that I don’t even have a TV. Like you I’ve noticed that I don’t seem vulnerable to brainwashing and also can reason more effectively.
Reactive vs reflective thinking. How about President Teddy Roosevelt spending weeks on a train crossing the country to overnight under the stars with John Muir in Yosemite? Undisturbed by the lack of technology, that trip full of talk, contemplation and awed silence produced the jewel of U.S. policy and culture: our system of national parks.
I ❤️ your article. I too have gone back to phone calls. Several told me: “I’m not a phone person.” (We’re no longer in touch. They preferred a virtual voyeuristic relationship .) My attention span has suffered from Facebook, so I’m not only off it (mostly ) but I turn off my phone half the time. When I taught, I saw students lose their attention spans, curiosity and enthusiasm once they had iPads, so I eventually lost interest. Even the relationships with my younger family members have changed ; they seem to have trouble making conversation.
from what I’ve learned from reading the politically and macroeconomically related intellectual outputs, applied analysis, and internal debated of the gen 1.0 Democratic Party (the Jacksonians) is that this particular issue is of the sort that simply cannot be engaged soley by discrete analysis, and the USA’s citizenry having done so only with discrete analysis is the very reason its still something to analyze, its occurring because of major three reasons, even if not exclusively, in no implied true order: [‘profit motive on behalf those within its related center’; ‘various incentive structures that in some cases allow them to command from a distance and other that prevent counter action’; ‘lack of variability and the associated absence of localized error correction mechanisms within nodes across the system’].
If we’d still even partly had the USA’s first 200 years framework, given the mass exposure of children its highly likely that there would have been 1) investigative actions at least by press and/or local party branches and/or the local nodes of the Academe and at least some states (and in the cases of major metros like NYC, maybe municipalities as well) would have engaged in actions AND HERE”S THE THING MANY PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO SEE TO BELIEVE IT WAS HIGHLY CREATIVE SYSTEM YOU SEE A CITY SOMEWHERE COME UP WITH A GREAT ANSWER THAT ME-YOU-WE NEVER THOUGHT OF….. it was a decentralized system with central policy but also lots of emergent policy designs!
This is an excellent article speculating on the potential outcome of the neuroplasticity effect of Ketamine combined simultaneously with Twitter algorithms specifically tuned to Musk himself! It isn't necessarily what's happened but there's a scientific basis for his speculation.
I think you’re really into something—the duel effect of the algorithm and the ketamine forges new neural pathways and is literally a form of brainwashing.
You are absolutely right about news "sources" on social media. The popular platforms amplify anger and rage. X is not only anger and rage, it is fascist propaganda enhancing. The others emphasize bait and click outrage as well. What sane person wants to be steeped in negativity 24/7? It's thought kill, and, yes, stupid. I choose to read or listen to Substack authors' prose an hour or two most days. Many articles here have credible source links. The rest of my time is household chores, and outside activities. A good book read, or entertaining show about humans on TV before bed. Snuggles with my cat. Text often with family and friends. Even some talking on the phone. I do what I can to steer outrage into action by e-mailing or calling Representatives, attending a demonstration or two. I miss the old fashion newspapers and magazines; but the new online technology often allows immediate comments.
There was a time when I looked to facebook for opinions and analysis or links to such, but was repulsed and exhausted (more than stupified) in dueling with the algorithm. I crave long form articles that attempt to connect the tiny dots produced by the daily news. Subscriptions to legacy magazines and major newspapers with their spotty quality are beyond my means. That's why I'm here on Substack (like most of us I think) but even here the algorithmic noise is trying. My epitaph might be "monetized to death".
And now we are hearing that credible, scholarly voices are being silenced on X with no warning or explanation. Like others, I am pre-social media and I mostly dismissed it once it became clear that I was the product, not the customer.
Mr. Brock, please post your work on CounterSocial. We'd love to have you. No ads, no bots, no trolls, no algorithms, no Russia, China etc. Conversations. I am @gemswinc and @jackdetate introduced me to your work.
100%. Luckily, I'm of a generation before social media reduced our brain mass. Reading books, articles, magazines, and listening to radio, now podcasts gave me foundational knowledge. That future-proofed me against propaganda. Rolf Dobelli said it best, "The less news you consume, the bigger the advantage you have. News has no explanatory power. News items are bubbles popping on the surface of a deeper world."
"That furure-proofed me against propaganda." I never thought of it that way, but you're right. I, too, grew up when social media was in its infancy and never got into it. Tried Twitter briefly when Michael Phelps was in the Olympics and being criticized for smoking pot so I could blurb to him to ignore that crap (with no expectation he would read it) but dropped off after that. It seemed self-indulgent and I prefer research and analysis and learning from individuals who can lay out a case in more words than a sound byte.
I too am of a different generation except that I don’t even have a TV. Like you I’ve noticed that I don’t seem vulnerable to brainwashing and also can reason more effectively.
Reactive vs reflective thinking. How about President Teddy Roosevelt spending weeks on a train crossing the country to overnight under the stars with John Muir in Yosemite? Undisturbed by the lack of technology, that trip full of talk, contemplation and awed silence produced the jewel of U.S. policy and culture: our system of national parks.
maybe it's because I was a Latin teacher but I always use stupid to mean being in a stupor.
I ❤️ your article. I too have gone back to phone calls. Several told me: “I’m not a phone person.” (We’re no longer in touch. They preferred a virtual voyeuristic relationship .) My attention span has suffered from Facebook, so I’m not only off it (mostly ) but I turn off my phone half the time. When I taught, I saw students lose their attention spans, curiosity and enthusiasm once they had iPads, so I eventually lost interest. Even the relationships with my younger family members have changed ; they seem to have trouble making conversation.
from what I’ve learned from reading the politically and macroeconomically related intellectual outputs, applied analysis, and internal debated of the gen 1.0 Democratic Party (the Jacksonians) is that this particular issue is of the sort that simply cannot be engaged soley by discrete analysis, and the USA’s citizenry having done so only with discrete analysis is the very reason its still something to analyze, its occurring because of major three reasons, even if not exclusively, in no implied true order: [‘profit motive on behalf those within its related center’; ‘various incentive structures that in some cases allow them to command from a distance and other that prevent counter action’; ‘lack of variability and the associated absence of localized error correction mechanisms within nodes across the system’].
If we’d still even partly had the USA’s first 200 years framework, given the mass exposure of children its highly likely that there would have been 1) investigative actions at least by press and/or local party branches and/or the local nodes of the Academe and at least some states (and in the cases of major metros like NYC, maybe municipalities as well) would have engaged in actions AND HERE”S THE THING MANY PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO SEE TO BELIEVE IT WAS HIGHLY CREATIVE SYSTEM YOU SEE A CITY SOMEWHERE COME UP WITH A GREAT ANSWER THAT ME-YOU-WE NEVER THOUGHT OF….. it was a decentralized system with central policy but also lots of emergent policy designs!
This is an excellent article speculating on the potential outcome of the neuroplasticity effect of Ketamine combined simultaneously with Twitter algorithms specifically tuned to Musk himself! It isn't necessarily what's happened but there's a scientific basis for his speculation.
I think you’re really into something—the duel effect of the algorithm and the ketamine forges new neural pathways and is literally a form of brainwashing.
100% right about ketamine too - delusions of grandeur etc…
https://lindacjturner.com/2024/09/27/mechanism-of-ketamine-induced-psychosis/.
You are absolutely right about news "sources" on social media. The popular platforms amplify anger and rage. X is not only anger and rage, it is fascist propaganda enhancing. The others emphasize bait and click outrage as well. What sane person wants to be steeped in negativity 24/7? It's thought kill, and, yes, stupid. I choose to read or listen to Substack authors' prose an hour or two most days. Many articles here have credible source links. The rest of my time is household chores, and outside activities. A good book read, or entertaining show about humans on TV before bed. Snuggles with my cat. Text often with family and friends. Even some talking on the phone. I do what I can to steer outrage into action by e-mailing or calling Representatives, attending a demonstration or two. I miss the old fashion newspapers and magazines; but the new online technology often allows immediate comments.
perfectly spot on, and I stated this in less than 280 characters!
Well said.
There was a time when I looked to facebook for opinions and analysis or links to such, but was repulsed and exhausted (more than stupified) in dueling with the algorithm. I crave long form articles that attempt to connect the tiny dots produced by the daily news. Subscriptions to legacy magazines and major newspapers with their spotty quality are beyond my means. That's why I'm here on Substack (like most of us I think) but even here the algorithmic noise is trying. My epitaph might be "monetized to death".
This ketamine/X theory is killer. And so well delivered. Thank you for the best read of my day.
I agree. I’m glad to have fun Substack where there are engaging longform articles. I especially love yours
And now we are hearing that credible, scholarly voices are being silenced on X with no warning or explanation. Like others, I am pre-social media and I mostly dismissed it once it became clear that I was the product, not the customer.
Agree
Mr. Brock, please post your work on CounterSocial. We'd love to have you. No ads, no bots, no trolls, no algorithms, no Russia, China etc. Conversations. I am @gemswinc and @jackdetate introduced me to your work.