Hypothetical…
Say you encounter a post on Facebook arguing that climate change is a hoax, or vaccines cause autism… etc. etc. But this isn’t a run-of-the-mill trolling with lulz, it’s an extremely persuasive, well-written, compelling post with many respectable-looking sources to back it up, and is getting lots of clicks, admiring comments and re-shares from readers.
Now, you’re tired, hungry, had a long day at work, have already refuted “climate change hoax” or “vaccines cause autism” claims before a hundred times on social media, and really don’t feel like doing so once again. But this Facebook post is persuading lots of people to believe something that’s not true, and nobody’s speaking up against it. Do you write a rebuttal?
(Edit: By “rebuttal” I don’t mean that you have to write an entire post of your own on Facebook, but rather, just leave a comment in the comment section or whatnot.)
I don’t respond to any FB posts I disagree with as I don’t want that activity showing up on my timeline.
Yeah, this. If I strongly disagree with someone on Facebook I unfollow/unfriend/block/whatever depending on who the person is to me.
ETA: To clarify my response, to me Facebook is a place for “Congrats!”, “That looks yummy”, “Wish I was there” type comments.
I agree. I want to see dog pictures, kid pictures, family news, see what schoolmates are doing. I don’t mind the odd satirical cartoon but the right wing memes devoid of any semblance to reality drive me nuts.
I do write rebuttals. I’m often told to fuck off as a result. Ergo, I’m cutting back.
I’m not on Facebook, so this is hypothetical. But in response to a post as described in the OP, I would say: “Brilliant and articulate! Now please use your powers for good instead of evil.”
I don’t do Facebook either, but at least as far as anti-vaxx goes, there aren’t any reputable cites that show a link between vaccines and autism. So I would probably treat it as I do such things on the Dope or some of the other forums I use - refute it and let the chips fall where they might.
Along with a measured dose of semi-light-hearted humor at the expense of the author. That sometimes helps.
There was another forum whose name I won’t mention who didn’t ban me - they did the “send Tachy to Coventry” thing on me, which amounts to putting me on everyone’s Ignore list whether they knew it or not. That was for arguing too effectively, or at least too strongly, against the anti-vaxx nonsense they were pushing. I have no idea if I helped open any minds - perhaps not, but it points up something. IME winning an argument is fun even if the other side refuses to admit it.
Sort of strike a balance between “someone is wrong on the Internet” and PALATR.
Regards,
Shodan
Of course. This is when it’s most worthwhile. That someone is this expressive indicates that they’re a person who does their own thinking. Those are the people you want to engage with, they’re likely to actually listen to your thinking. ETA: and you could surprise yourself and learn something from them. [/eta] And their audience, of course, will most likely give you both reasonable consideration.
I believe in this answer, but mine was ‘‘ain’t nobody got time for that.’’
Everything I’ve ever learned about human psychology indicates facts do not interest people in the least when it comes to their opinions.
My mantra these days: ''You can’t reason a man out of a position he didn’t reason himself into."
If I read a post that was “an extremely persuasive, well-written, compelling post with many respectable-looking sources to back it up,” I would at least take a moment to consider that they might be correct. I wouldn’t dismiss it out of hand because it conflicted with my own dogma.
What I hate is when some poorly written, moronic post articulates exactly what I believe (only I have good reasons for thinking that way, unlike the other poster).
God yes. I pretty much left Facebook out of embarrassment for my own ‘‘side.’’
I regularly correct stuff my friends and relatives post that is wrong, but not controversial. For example I have an aunt who like to share internet bullshit like “moneybags” (y’know, the “5 Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays” or whatever combination of days that “only occurs every 800 years!” thing). I point out the flaws and fallacies of all of these things she posts as respectfully as possible. She’s generally appreciative, outwardly at least. Internally I’m a little upset with her for posting that shit without thinking; she used to be a scientist, FFS!
Even if it’s dogma like the earth is a sphere that orbits the sun? I think you can dismiss the flat earthers out of hand.
Yet another reason I’m glad not to be on FB.
There’s aren’t any reputable cites that a reasonable argument has ever swayed an anti-vaxxer, so I rarely bother.
What’s a facebook?
I always got time for that. As y’all can probably attest from your own experience, I love to hear myself talk even if nobody else does.
I would try to reply, and how long and in depth depends on how tired I am. But I’d be mainly replying for the sake of the other people who see the original post, hoping that if they see my rebuttals they don’t get too swayed by the original post, or they do some thinking on their own.
If someone has written a well-written and reasonable sounding post on something that is terribly unreasonable like that climate change is a hoax or that vaccines cause autism then they either purposely looked for bad but respectable sounding sources that support their wrong claims, or their logic is so off that my facts won’t change their mind. But their Facebook friends who haven’t put the same amount of effort in might read my rebuttal and think things through. Or at least that’s what I hope for.
One thing I’ll give me is I’ve really learned to pick my battles. I can tell when an argument will most likely be fruitless. I save it for people capable of self-reflection and critical thinking, which is a rapidly shrinking pool of individuals these days. It’s also my approach on these boards. I only engage people in a discussion if they are civil and open to hearing new perspectives. You can often tell just by the way that they word things.