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Misinformation on purpose is a predatory act. You abuse the power of knowledge and instead of physically "weak", you prey on the intellectually "weak". (lemmy.world)
submitted 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) by to c/showerthoughts@lemmy.world
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From the perspective of knowledge equals power, intentional misinformation, no matter by whom, could be regarded as abuse of power.

More people should educate those knowing less instead of ridiculing their ignorance. (Given the "knowing" really "know", but that's another topic.)

Edit: Intentional misinformation meaning posting and spreading "fake news", willfully publishing or sharing false information through media of any kind, as organization or individual, not merely everyday lyingy which is sth different.

Edit 2: Apparently it's "misinformation" not "disinformation" sorry.

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[–] 3 points 2 weeks ago* (13 children)

If you’re talking about lies you should know we as humans learn to lie before we learn to talk. It’s part of who we are and as crazy as it sounds is a necessary part of living in a group. It’s wrong to lie to hurt people but we lie all the time in many small ways just to exsists in a world with other people. You really don’t want to live in a world completely without lies.

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  • [–] [S] 4 points 2 weeks ago* (9 children)

    I didn't mean lies I mean intentional disinformation as in posting and spreading "fake news", willfully publishing or sharing false information through media of any kind, as organization or individual. So yes, it involves lying but "lie" is too unspecific and general a term here.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 weeks ago (4 children)

    That's called misinformation.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 weeks ago (3 children)

    I can't tell if this comment is lying, misinformation, or disinformation

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  • [–] 1 point 2 weeks ago (2 children)

    When in doubt, assume OP is a kraut.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 weeks ago (3 children)

    Ahh okay.

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  • [–] [S] 4 points 2 weeks ago* (2 children)

    Thx for asking tho, helped me phrasing my thought more clearly.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 child)

    My pleasure. I love a good think.

    I will say though fake news is older than real news. Most of our history is people making shit up.

    It’s still wrong of course but I don’t think it going away in our life time. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try tho. It’s a long slow march to freedom.

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  • [–] [S] 2 points 2 weeks ago

    Seems like a pessimistic perspective, I'd like to note that public access to information has increased and become easier too. There are a lot of things you can learn if you really try. And also institutions that help you. It's a two edged sword though, but a lot can be learned merely by studying philosophy, logic principles and the scientific methods in order to decelop a mostly reliable bullshit detector.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

    Depends how you define lying. If you mean saying things that you know to be untrue then I would disagree that it's necessary.

    I read a book about lying around 7 years ago and it was making the argument that it's only justifiable when used to prevent greater harm, the classic example there being Nazis on your door asking if you have Anne Frank in the attic. Other than that it's always wrong and often completely unnecessary. Applies to white lies as well.

    The only single time I've lied since then was reflexively telling a beggar that I didn't have any cash. Again, completely unnecessary. In fact I've not lied for so long that lying doesn't even come to mind anymore as an option when handling a situation. People can tell that they're not going to like what I'm about to say next before I even say it because they can see me hesitate and carefully choose my words. They don't always like hearing it but not one person has cut ties because of it - rather the opposite. They now come to me when they want the truth.

    Additional benefit of this is that it makes me carefully consider my own behaviour so that I don't need to lie about it later.

    Again, not lying doesn't mean speaking everything that's on your mind. It simply means not saying things you know to be untrue.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 weeks ago (1 child)

    So if someone asks “how are you doing” on the street you answer truthfully? If someone cooks you a meal do you tell them it wasn’t good?

    A lie by omission I still count. If you know what answer is the truth and you don’t say it in order to not share the truth, that’s deceitful .

    All my opinion of course, well not mine I also read it in a book somewhere along the line.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 weeks ago

    I have no issue telling people I'm not doing good if that is the truth. The meal example I can't say. Telling the truth there would be the right thing to do according to my principles but a situation like that almost never occurs - at least it hasn't for me over the past 7 years or so. Therefor I can't say that I absolutely would.

    However, I've answered truthfully to even more uncomfortable questions than that in the past - regarding people's appearance for example - so from that perspective I see no reason why I wouldn't.

    I'm unsure how I feel about a lie by omission. For me the point has always been not to actively deceive people by telling them something that's not true. I'm not obligated to tell everything that's on my mind. I can also just say that I don't want to answer. However if I evade answering the thing they are asking by dancing around it then that would count as deception.

    Would you want to be lied to if your guest didn't like the food you served to them at all?

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