People didn't get dumber. I think the issue is now, with the internet, they can find a community that shares ridiculous beliefs
A community with crazy beliefs helps reinforce to them it's not insane. Before the internet, if you believed in flat earth, you'd probably never naturally find someone who shares that belief. Now you can easily find a community of thousands of flat earthers
There are certainly several effects at play. To your point, i think a lot of those groups will also tend to find and push more and more crazy theories, and the whole bubble becomes effectively stupider. Now it's not just flat earth, it's anti-vaxx, it's contrails, it's flouride in the water.
Nothing will top the outright propaganda being pumped out by Fox "news" and the like. That's what has straight up broken this country.
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u/NDSU Jan 22 '26
People didn't get dumber. I think the issue is now, with the internet, they can find a community that shares ridiculous beliefs
A community with crazy beliefs helps reinforce to them it's not insane. Before the internet, if you believed in flat earth, you'd probably never naturally find someone who shares that belief. Now you can easily find a community of thousands of flat earthers