Teri Kanefield
A word about left-wing conspiracy theories.
Yesterday I sent about 10 people to this page because they were saying the same untrue things about Merrick Garland that I disproved here with facts:
That's when I realized a new Merrick Garland conspiracy theory had taken hold.
My initial reaction was pure irritation.
A knew what it would take to disprove it. . .
1/
Teri Kanefield
I am now out of the business of tamping down the latest nonsense.
It's a game of whack-a-mole.
I can see what happened on Twitter:
The people who are left pulled together. They all follow the same experts who each each other.
People in my comments even use the plural, like this:
"We just want justice and I guess we'll never get it."
It's literally groupthink.
And very sad.
Stay out of it if you can.
9/
Teri Kanefield
3) the way to be popular is to reflect back the fears and anxieties of the audiences and many have succumbed to the ego trial of being dubbed an expert on all things.
Some of them were probably good lawyers, but that meant that they went into court prepared. Some had teams of lawyers checking their briefs for accuracy.
A few of the former prosecutors I know from reputation were lousy. They did the same things in court.
6/
Teri Kanefield
A few of them are making bank. They're not going to stop. They found the formula and they're adored in a way that practicing lawyers are not adored.
Psychologist explain how even smart people fall victim to conspiracy theories when those theories play on your biases and fears.
And of course we are in a media disruption and people do not have access good neutral news.
7/
Teri Kanefield
Seeing the misinformation take hold among Democrats and liberals scared me because who will hold on to truth? Obviously the right wing is mired in lies.
Someone has to hold on to the truth for it to survive.
Now I take comfort in two things:
1) The echo chamber is fairly small and limited to people on social media and cable news talk show viewers.
Most normal people have no idea the AG is demonized.
2) Conspiracy theories need a target. Better the AG than Biden or Harris.
8/
Teri Kanefield
Yesterday on Twitter I tried to explain why these TV celebrities are enraging them with what I'll charitably call "rage inducing simplifications."
1) If you are expected to constantly offer hot takes on complex legal issues, you simply don't have time to do the thinking and research.
2) First responses are usually more emotional, so they resonate more with listeners.
5/
Teri Kanefield
A friend of mine, the lawyer I mentioned, @StephanieJones (who isn't here yet) did the work of laying out the arguments, so I wouldn't have had to do that.
But it is so much work to tamp down this misinformation.
I spent literally dozens of hours writing this series: https://terikanefield.com/can-democracy-work-in-america-part-1-there-are-no-yankees-here/
Before I wrote that, I spent dozens of hours tamping down misinformation when I wrote this:
https://terikanefield.com/criminallawfaqs/
I have spent 5 years tamping down left-wing misinformation
2/
Teri Kanefield
I cannot do it any more.
I asked Stephanie here it is coming from and she said the "TV celebrities."
I spent some time yesterday on Twitter, not addressing the latest bit of misinformation, but explaining how it happens.
It's really easy to throw out what I call a rage-inducing simplification.
It takes hours to explain why it's wrong.
One observation about Twitter: It has become a true left wing misinformation echo chamber.
3/
Teri Kanefield
This is a literal comment that came to me: "We just want justice and I guess we're never going to get it."
Notice the plural.
They all follow the same big accounts. Many are lawyers but many are not.
One person argued with me and told me that the people he listens to are "former prosecutors from major schools."
Me: So everything he says is true?
These "former prosecutors" are the same ones who I've been debunking for years.
It is sad and crazy
4/
Mark Mullen
You're so great. I learn tons from you. Keep doing what you're doing.
Ampelios
@rvaughnmd @Teri_Kanefield Or as Pratchett would put it, "A lie can travel around the world before the truth can get its boots on."
Zauberlehrling
“The point of modern propaganda isn't only to misinform or push an agenda. It is to exhaust your critical thinking, to annihilate truth.”
― Garry Kasparov
Zauberlehrling
"The amount of energy needed to refute bullshit is an order of magnitude bigger than that needed to produce it."
Brandolini's Law
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