Comment by puppycodes
1 month 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.