• mgtzbos@lemmy.world
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    1 day ago

    How incredible to see the effect of political messaging on citizen/voter perception. It is that the exaggerations, lies, and outrage marketing clearly have an outsized effect. I wouldn’t say the US population is dumb. But I would say the manipulation of perception is too much for the average person to do their own research and come up with unbiased facts.

    ***To those dismissing this based on inconsistencies between topics, you can’t make those comparisons. There is some blending of data in the methodology that is appropriate in order to look at the range. This is only about the gap between perception and reality, and a stack rank.

    • Doomsider@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      The average person is easily manipulated by propaganda. Highly intelligent people who should know better are easily manipulated by propaganda. This is why propaganda is so dangerous and should be tightly controlled.

      • Bgugi@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        A great ideal so long as you’re the one in charge of deciding what propaganda is.

        • Doomsider@lemmy.world
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          20 hours ago

          Most of Western Europe has severe limits on advertising. They ban things like comparative advertising and don’t even allow advertising for prescription medication.

          It is not about deciding what propaganda is allowed, it is about setting up regulations to prevent misinformation.

          Our current model in the US is the good will outweigh the bad. That people will be able determine the truth and ignore lies. This is of course poppycock.

          Unfortunately propaganda works really well and if you allow misogynists and Nazis to have a mouthpiece their numbers will grow.

          Control is not a bad thing, those that push toxic freedom and “free speech” have moved the goalposts so far it is hard to believe. We have been so propagandized to it is hard to separate reality from the lies at times.

          The truth is propaganda, misinformation, and public relations are working to sow discontent and manipulate people and it is wrong. We are supposed to protect people, not throw them to the richest wolves who convince them that they should enjoy getting eaten.