Social Media and Propaganda

Social Media and Propaganda

As I was having lunch yesterday, I decided to jump on Facebook, just to see if there was anything going on that I should know about. Facebook is such a great resource for information and connecting with other people.

I have always been very intrigued by what people opt to post on social media. There are those who primarily post positive life experiences. They will share photos of their recent (or current) vacations or trips to the beach. They will share photos or stories about their successes and accomplishments. They may even use social media as a way to highlight their (or their children’s) hard work.

There are those who primarily post on social media to express frustration and struggles. We all have those “Facebook friends” who – according to their posts – seem to be struggling or experiencing problems. They use social media as a means of support, almost like a form of therapy.

But then there is another group whose posts should be read with caution. They should be considered with a critical eye, lest we begin to develop an impression of people and the world that is somewhat skewed and not based in reality.

Social Media – The New Propaganda Machine

While there are many examples of this, one in particular jumps out in my mind. Several months ago, a meme popped up on my Facebook feed that included a photo of President Obama and the First Lady with their hands on their chest when the national anthem was being played at an event.

While the photo looked great, the only problem was that they both had their left hands on their respective chests, instead of their right. Now, when I saw this, I immediately assumed photoshop. And, sure enough, a quick search on the internet and I found the original photo and it was clear that someone photoshopped the image to make it appear – and to support the original poster’s claim – that this was evidence that President Obama was “anti-American.”

Although I certainly believe that each of us is entitled to our own beliefs and perspectives, I can’t help but wonder what purpose these types of posts serve except to incite fear, anger, and hatred. That is, while I immediately assumed the above referenced image was photoshopped, as I read through the comments it became clear that many people (several hundred at that point) had jumped on the bandwagon, blasting the President and First Lady, and in no uncertain terms, voicing a desire to oust them, not just from the oval office, but from the country.

These types of posts are especially popular during a presidential campaign. There is no end to negativity about any of the candidates, and folks tend to post and repost these memes, adding their own personal caption that seems to be more direct, mean, and dire than those that precede it.

In fact, if my calculations are correct, whether Mr. Trump or Ms. Clinton is elected as our next president, the U.S. population will decrease by about 25%. Those who are “anti-Trump” and those who “hate Hillary” are adamant that they will “leave the country” if their hated politician is voted in.

Now it is certainly difficult to take these statements as truth, as there were similar statements made when President George W. Bush was reelected, just as there were for both of President Obama’s elections. But why do people post these types of statements? Why do they post memes that do nothing but incite fear and hatred? And more importantly, why do so many people believe these things when the truth really is at your finger tips?

Social Media and Fearmongering

Much of this seems to be with the goal of inciting fear and to influence individuals in a desired direction. Perfectly timed photos of Mr. Trump – with his unruly hair flying in the wind – and Ms. Clinton – with a scowl on her face – are used to discredit, dehumanize, and to make caricatures of them. The messages seem to be, “Who would vote for someone who looks like this?” or “Look how evil he/she appears to be.” or “How could anyone take him/her seriously?”

Again, this certainly is not new. Similar trends were seen in the past several elections. But again, so many of us fail to consider the source or reality. I mean, after all, if we were to believe every meme about President Obama, Islam would be the national religion, guns would be completely banned, and many of us would be living in concentration camps.

Many people buy into these posts because of a phenomenon called “confirmatory bias.” That is, we have a tendency to look for evidence that supports our beliefs. When we find something that is supportive of our stance – even if the information is extreme – we tend to believe it without much question. When we find something that does not support our bias, we tend to reject it, no matter how credible.

In this way, our beliefs become more ingrained and we are left to believe that there are mountains of evidence supporting our position and very little opposing it. We become set in our perspectives and resist any potential nudge in the other direction.

Take Time To Become Educated

If you are a regular reader of this blog, then you know that – excluding issues with educational reform – I do not post much about politics. These days – and I am sure in the past as well – it is just too polarizing of a topic. Those on the right are just as adamant as those on the left, and aside from a few issues relevant to my work (i.e., education, insurance, and mental health parity), who am I to impose my political views on anyone else?

That said, I do believe that many of us need to be reminded that one of the basic principles of our government, of the American culture, is that of being an informed citizen. I see too many patients who are experiencing impairing anxiety and distress that is directly caused by misinformation that is presented as fact.

We read these posts and immediately assume that they are true. You may even look at which of your family or friends posted it and think, “Well, he probably checked it out, so it must be true.” Others assume, “If it is on the internet and 30 thousand people ‘Like’ it, it must be true.”

The reality, of course, is that before you make a decision, before you allow some “fact” to cause you stress or anxiety, before you become angry over something you read, research it. Look it up and go to the source. Did Mr. Trump really say that? Did Ms. Clinton really do that? Don’t assume anything. Research it, educate yourself, and then make an informed decision.

Sure the information you find may challenge your belief, but that is what learning and understanding is all about. If one candidate is truly better than the other, shouldn’t it be actual facts that lead you to that decision? Moreover, is it not reasonable to believe that one candidate’s platform may be more meaningful to you, while the other candidate’s platform more relevant to someone else?

If we can agree on those simple aspects, why not agree to end the anxiety and stress inducing practice of deliberately creating and posting falsehoods? And if we cannot stop those who create them, can’t we at least agree to research facts before internalizing what you have seen?

Who knows how this election season – which seems to have been trudging on for years now – will end. But when we are all better informed, the ultimate outcome will be better for all of us.