Yes, a few like this.

While the internet has brought some huge benefits to the world (obvs) one of the identified benefits has definitely not happened.

The internet was supposed to democratise access to information. Everyone would be able to access all the information they need, and we would all march on towards wisdom, insight and progress.

What has happened instead is that the internet is awash with a huge amount of absolute s**te. Utter utter meaningless drivel and garbage. People can latch on to whatever explanation pleases them, and find all the "facts" they need to justify it on the internet. I think this combines with human nature (a desire for our existing world view to be proven "right") to trigger the kind of "down the rabbit hole" behaviour that leads to anti vax conspiracies.

David Mitchell said it well. The problem isnt that finding the truth on the internet is like finding a needle in a haystack. It's that people that do find the needle just regard it as another piece of straw in the haystack. There isnt even an acceptance any longer that there is a needle to find.

Posted By: Under soil heating, Aug 25, 11:58:02