Comment by puppycodes
13 days ago
Not reading the sources that extreme ideologues read is to lack critical information and perspective important to understanding those who you dissagree with or even find reprehensible.
I think the bar analogy lacks some important nuance. Not participating on the platform is one thing but drawing a distinction between being informed and support for the platform needs a little more thought here.
IMO social media is not a type of source I have to participate in order to get information. I can read the far right’s opinion though actual sources and news aggregators without Twitter at all.
To continue the analogy, I need not go to a Nazi bar to read the headlines of the local newspaper to see what the latest propaganda is.
I agree that participation is not nessecary as I mentioned. But I find the way people comment and the back and forth on twitter interesting data. From the raw feelings or nation state bots pushing certain narratives, I personally find it informative viewing the platform where these interactions happen beyond divorced headlines.
95% of it is garbage, but as a member of a targeted class of people I like to see what angles they are coming for us from way ahead of time.