Why do people spread misinformation?

Here's another casualty of the anti-vaxxers, only this time, a veteran was unable to get treated because the hospital was full of covid-19 patients.

Veteran dies of treatable illness after waiting hours for ICU bed
Daniel Wilkinson, 46, who served two deployments in Afghanistan, died Sunday of gallstone pancreatitis, a treatable illness, after waiting hours for an ICU bed, KPRC reported.​
 

Why do people spread misinformation?​


Because truth is as solid as a rock
Can't thin it down to spread it

Sure, one can take a bit of truth, sprinkle it in and spread that around

Folks like to play with that

But

It won't stand

Crumbles with time and scrutiny
 
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Some have not yet developed critical thinking skills and so believe what their respective group believes. Of course I am talking about myself too. Takes a while to realise the people you thought had their stuff together are just as disappointing as everyone else.
That explains why some people in this forum keep posting disinformation when the forum has a strict policy against doing that.
 
Why do people spread misinformation?
I think there are lots of reasons, like:
  • They don't know better.
  • Its something they want to believe but don't want to do the work to check.
  • Misinformation is often a better simpler story, easier to communicate. Truth can be boring.
  • To push for some desired outcome, like pushing a political agenda, selling a newspaper, or driving up the price of a stock.
Some of the misinformation is obvious, but much is not. And a lot of things are partially true, or have some color of truth. Often being sure what is or is not misinformation is not easy.
 
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I'm sure the Admin/Moderators (if there are any mods left?) do not want to spend their time sorting out fact from fiction regarding stated information as well as determining the validity of the source that info. came from.
Admin. has posted a statement about this spread of misinformation/conspiracies which basically tells us all to do our own research from 'reliable sources' before forming our own opinions on these matters and I suppose that's fair.
I think most people here are quite capable of sorting out posts that fall somewhere between reality and bat sh*t crazy. The key is not to engage in arguments with the latter because it's truly pointless!
 
Every day, the floodgates of lies open up about everything under the sun, including covid-19 related scientific information. People claim to not trust any news outlets, but somehow, they still have strong opinions about everything. Of course, they never divulge their "trusted" sources out of fear of being ridiculed. They believe they have secret information that the "deep state" wants suppressed so they can "control" us.

So why spread misinformation? How do the disseminators benefit? We rarely do anything that doesn't benefit us in some way.

I was watching the news last night about the attack at the Kabul airport and wondering the same thing about the terrorists who blew themselves up along with over 100 people including 13 U.S. service personnel.

Today, I read an article claiming that ISIS-K seeks to sow chaos and disorder throughout the world. They do it with bombs and guns — often sacrificing their own lives in the process.

In the U.S., perhaps certain groups also seek to sow chaos and disorder, but through misinformation and reckless behavior including refusal to get vaccinated or wear PPE, and are doing what they can to prevent others from taking actions that could help get the pandemic under control. Many of them, it seems, are also willing to sacrifice their own lives and the lives of others for their cause. Every day, we see stories about church leaders, policemen, politicians, and others, who preached to their followers that the pandemic is a hoax and that the vaccine is dangerous, have died from covid-19. Many regret not getting vaccinated.

Personally, I don't feel loyal to any groups, and there's no way I'd sacrifice my life for any ideology. Perhaps if I felt a strong connection to a group, I would. I don't know.
I have given this subject a lot of thought and my personal definition is as such:

MISINFORMATION: Mistakes, or non-malicious, non-conscious info or repeated info passed on by others.
DISINFORMATION: Purposely misleading any subject by lying and/or exaggerating.

* You may give me the correct definitions if I am terribly wrong.

Misinformation can be forgiven, disinformation cannot. But the reasons for disinformation? They can be political, religious, or the tactic of "a very naughty boy".
 
It seems like some people lead lives completely rooted in lies, from religion to their politics. It's all lies, or at least not rooted in reality. Is that because they can't handle reality or are they inherently dishonest? I don't get it. How can people live like that?
"Can't handle reality" gets my vote. That applies to both religion and politics.
 
The founder of the San Angelo Freedom Defenders, a group “to educate and empower citizens to make informed choices concerning local, statewide, and national policy and to encourage them to actively participate in their duty to secure God-given and constitutionally protected rights,” has died.
Remember Civics Class in High School?
That quote you posted is the definition of Civics.
Since the 60's Civics classes have been removed gradually from the HS curriculum.

Today, only 11 states require one year of Civics class.
Just another effort of dumbing down America. Sad.
 
In 1855 the popular London preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon included an instance in a sermon and called it an old proverb. In 1859 the statement was reprinted in collection titled “Spurgeon’s Gems”: 13 14

If you want truth to go round the world you must hire an express train to pull it; but if you want a lie to go round the world, it will fly; it is as light as a feather, and a breath will carry it. It is well said in the old Proverb, ‘A lie will go round the world while truth is pulling its boots on.’
In 1881 a modified saying was written in which boots were worn by “the lie” instead of “the truth”: 15

But the lie had its seven-league boots on a week ago, and here is the truth just rubbing its sleepy eyes and preparing to give it a lazy chase.

OK I do like quoting Twain even if it is wrong, but Spurgeon is much better.
 
I'm sure the Admin/Moderators (if there are any mods left?) do not want to spend their time sorting out fact from fiction regarding stated information as well as determining the validity of the source that info. came from.
Admin. has posted a statement about this spread of misinformation/conspiracies which basically tells us all to do our own research from 'reliable sources' before forming our own opinions on these matters and I suppose that's fair.
I think most people here are quite capable of sorting out posts that fall somewhere between reality and bat sh*t crazy. The key is not to engage in arguments with the latter because it's truly pointless!
That makes a lot of sense. We do have to try and sort it out for ourselves.
I think religion is different, I don't believe in most of what others do, but I don't see religious belief as lie or misinformation. I believe other's beliefs are to be respected, not criticized. If you don't believe it then its myth. Not many call Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny a lie or misinformation. Not seriously anyway...
 
Once these lies are believed, if only for a short time, the damage has been done. A lie travels halfway around the world before the truth puts on its shoes. By the time the truth catches up, it’s too late. The lie has become lore
I don't know if Joseph Göbbels said those exact words but he probably did.

PS. Are Saginaw, Detroit, and Flint in the thumb?
 
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Once these lies are believed, if only for a short time, the damage has been done. A lie travels halfway around the world before the truth puts on its shoes. By the time the truth catches up, it’s too late. The lie has become lore
After a bitter divorce in the 90s the EX spread some slanderous statements about me. That prompted me to embrace the notion that:
"A lie left unchallenged becomes the truth".
 


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