Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Manweller corollary
ZH highlights a small academic study of the "Russian" "trolls".
Unsurprisingly, the study finds that nonexistent things had no effect on attitudes.
Hidden in the middle of the discussion is a MUCH BIGGER finding.
Indeed, a recent study indicates the net effect of most political campaigns is probably zero. If the most sophisticated American campaigns can’t really influence voters, why should we expect the Russians to be anymore successful?
Campaigns have no effect on attitudes.
That's a BIG statement.
When you know how things work, you aren't surprised. Good old Manweller. Elections have no effect, so campaigns have no effect.
The population is divided into two distinct groups.
1. Partisan bots who obey MY SIDE and MY PARTY mechanically, and insult and mock OTHER SIDE and OTHER PARTY mechanically. Campaigns don't change the attitudes of this group because their attitudes can't be changed; but campaigns DO bring in money from this group, which is the real purpose of campaigns.
2. Normal humans who have learned from experience that elections have no effect. We may have started as partisans, but at some point we NOTICED that the candidates on MY SIDE and the candidates on OTHER SIDE are precisely identical. Campaigns have no effect at all on this group.
Labels: Experiential education
¶ 3:56 PM
