Amongst some Youtube comments the other day I read a guy angrily saying, “If (Ukrainian president) Zelensky didn’t have yachts…” That’s “yacht-S,” plural. Heck, I think even Putin’s oligarchs only own one. The commenter’s outrage came from him reading social media, from reading a story put out by someone in a room with cubicles somewhere in Russia. A troll farm.
Russian trolls are like the devil. Their greatest accomplishment is persuading people that they don’t exist. Of course we get into our own trouble without the devil or Russians. Here in North America, and down below, the devil will be shovelling snow before the town gossip, in person and on-line, acquires journalism ethics.
I knew a housewife from small town once. In exasperation I asked, “Is it something in the drinking water? So they think gossip is true?” Her reply: “They don’t think it’s true, but they would like to believe it’s true.”
That might be an excuse for John Q. Public, but what about US congressmen? The BBC had a news story headlined How Zelensky yacht fable influenced US aid debate
“Despite the false claim, the disinformation plot was successful. It took off online and was echoed by members of the US Congress making crucial decisions about military spending.”
Maybe there’s something in the congressional drinking water. Unfortunately, the consequences go far beyond ordinary people exchanging social media lies in a bar. Less aid means more innocent casualties. “Social media kills!” (figuratively written on my T-shirt)
Like a wild eyed fanatic, I plead, “Write your congressman, write your friends, tell your loved ones: “For goodness sake, don’t believe social media until it is verified by traditional journalists.”
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Sean Crawford
In the best part of North America
December,
2023
Blog note: Last week was about reading books during mid-winter. One might also seek out blogs.
Problem: How can you read a splendid blog that’s been going for years? Wouldn’t you get overwhelmed? Maybe not: What I try is to read only posts from a specific month; I might click on that month for year after year in the archives. That’s how I manage the wealth.
