Divergent Factual Realities: How the Parasite Drives Polarization

-- By AlexanderLandyshev - 09 Oct 2023

The use of misinformation as propaganda to achieve political influence, sway public opinion, or exercise control over populations is by no means a unique artifact of the 21st century. Roman emperors printed exaltations of the state on currency, war propaganda flyers have rallied young people to enlist in wars both modern and ancient, and historical revisionism has continued to be employed by unsavory characters in the modern day, in efforts to legitimize both governments and individual figures with gruesome pasts. But with the advent of the parasite, misinformation within the media landscape has seen a shift not simply in magnitude, but in kind as well. This shift has contributed to the continued atomization of individuals, who increasingly express in-group preferences. The target at the end of such a trajectory does not appear encouraging; individuals are sequestered into private bubbles containing only ideas with which they are completely comfortable, and insulated from any potential challenges to their worldview, regardless of any underlying factual reality. However, it does appear that steps can be taken to counteract this seemingly untenable position we find ourselves entrenched in.

The Changing Landscape in Media Consumption

First, it is necessary to discuss the state of modern media, and how it differs from a pre-digital era. Foremost is the question of scale. The modern media landscape dwarves anything that could have been previously envisioned. The current advertising media market size of the internet is greater than all other media forms combined and doubled, showing the dominance of digital media in todays information marketplace.https://www.marketingcharts.com/featured-226320. Average news media consumption appears to be increasing, with those consuming news media online primarily driving the trends, and cable news falling behind as the source of choice. https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2010/09/12/americans-spending-more-time-following-the-news/. This difference in media preference is particularly visible across generational divides, as up to 90% of adults aged 18-34 report consuming daily news primarily through online only sources. https://www.statista.com/statistics/717651/most-popular-news-platforms/

Beyond the increased scale of the current media landscape, the nature of the coverage has changed drastically and substantively over time. The first historical shift occurring during the rise of cable news, with 24/7 reporting, increased conglomeration of media corporations, and a higher focus on advertising revenue, subjective opinion based reporting that used more partisan language became the norm. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2960.html. However, with shifts to digital news

Such are the changes in degree that the information landscape has undergone with the introduction of digital news. However, when we add the consideration of the parasite into the mix, an unsettling reality begins to emerge.

Propagation by Preference

Prior to the introduction

Return to Reality; Individually, Systemically