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Ask HN: How to deal with loved ones that are affected by fake news?

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Re: Ask HN: How to deal with loved ones that are affected by fake news?

#31
post #25

I remember reading this article about Daryl Davis the black musician who converts Ku Klux Klan members ( https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/mar/18/daryl-davis-bl... ). If I'm correct one of his trick was to let people talk and ask them questions that would highlight the inconsistencies in their talk.

Funnily enough, I think that strategy works better on strangers that hate your identity group as opposed to familiar people that ostensibly love and respect you. Why? Mere exposure.

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with loved ones that are affected by fake news?

#32
Yup, same. I tried talking to them, but even broaching the subject got them defensive, spewing absurd generalities and platitudes at me, generally being childish, and saying things that were patently untrue. Now I'm not talking to them and thinking about my life without them in it. They're a danger to themselves and others.

I'm far too disagreeable to perform the empathy dance and they're too old and stubborn and functionally illiterate to boot to listen or understand that they've swallowed propaganda.

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with loved ones that are affected by fake news?

#33
post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does skepticism take into account factual knowledge gained through rigorous study? ? Because there are many emperical facts that these so-called skeptics are not only ignoring but calling out as fake.

Rigorous study would be years of research. We had months and it was rushed. We're still learning. What we have now is a best attempt. Actual facts would be something like washing your hands or boiling water preventing diseases. Nobody questions it anymore but they once did. But for the same reason, it's important to let people question. It was once doctors who opposed the idea of sanitation.

> it's important to let people question

it's the implied answers that are the problem, the jumping to conclusions

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with loved ones that are affected by fake news?

#34
post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does skepticism take into account factual knowledge gained through rigorous study? ? Because there are many emperical facts that these so-called skeptics are not only ignoring but calling out as fake.

Rigorous study would be years of research. We had months and it was rushed. We're still learning. What we have now is a best attempt. Actual facts would be something like washing your hands or boiling water preventing diseases. Nobody questions it anymore but they once did. But for the same reason, it's important to let people question. It was once doctors who opposed the idea of sanitation.

> Actual facts would be something like washing your hands or boiling water preventing diseases. Nobody questions it anymore...

People are questioning exactly these things. Germ theory itself is under attack. Masks have been used for many years in healthcare settings to hinder the spread of airborne pathogens, yet now we hear they are useless...

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with loved ones that are affected by fake news?

#35
I have reached the age that I know it's better not to argue with anyone on anything unless I have an interest in. Life is too short for meaningless arguments. Arguing with family members has the additional "bonus" that you are gonna to break down some long term close relationship.

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with loved ones that are affected by fake news?

#36

Maybe a collection of facebook profiles of people who were publicly skeptic about covid/vaccine and then suffered from the disease would be helpful. There are quite a few posts like this on reddit, but they often lack in empathy and are simply screenshots that aren't as convincing as a page with history/photos/etc. I'm wondering if compiling such a list online is feasible from ethical and legal stand points.

... And it would be interesting if those kept their opinion, e.g. stating they had a flu, or whether it changed their opinion

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with loved ones that are affected by fake news?

#37
Trying to argue someone out of a position is futile. Consider whether you are as open-minded about your opinions as you are expecting them to be.

An interesting approach worth looking into is motivational interviewing:

> The central premise: Instead of trying to force other people to change, you’re better off helping them find their own intrinsic motivation to change. You do that by interviewing them — asking open-ended questions and listening carefully — and holding up a mirror so they can see their own thoughts more clearly. If they express a desire to change, you guide them toward a plan.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/31/opinion/change-someones-m...

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with loved ones that are affected by fake news?

#38
Here is excellent article that explains hidden reasons behind wide spread phenomenon where people believe certain things or have certain views and you cannot change those using rational arguments:

https://meltingasphalt.com/crony-beliefs/

Spoiler: It is primarily about hidden self interest. But people will never admit it and will argue using any information they can find to support their goal. So it is pointless to attack with logic based counter arguments. Identify and counter actual self interest of the opponent instead.

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with loved ones that are affected by fake news?

#39

People that believe the official covid narrative are the ones affected by fake news in my opinion. I wish people could see how their freedom is being taken away everyday and anything that goes against big pharma is labelled fake news. I'm certain if you speak out against the CCP killing off Uyghurs in China then that is labeled as "fake news" in China. I'm almost certain this comment will get flagged. Which will prov…

If you say something that is 1) false, 2) political, and 3) aggressive in tone, getting flagged does not prove that what you said was in fact true. Don't take the flagging as confirmation of the correctness of your position. It doesn't work that way.
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