Being Manipulated

When I was a teenager, a relative whose opinion I respected declared that too many people only have ideas that are put in their head by others. Of course telling me this might simply have been his way of encouraging me to think for myself. 

That relative was fond of good conversation. He would never have suggested that anyone who was part of the gathering should be forced to accept another's ideas. We were expected to listen respectfully before being given a chance to reply with our own thoughts on that subject. This implied that we were expected to have our own thoughts. We were also expected to be able to defend what we thought with facts. 

The art of conversation has changed over the years. The chances for long conversations seem to have become rare. The closest thing for me is a long-distance chat 'online' with a good friend most evenings. But even then, we aren't expected to devote ourselves totally to the chat. 

My relative could never have imagined the internet. He based his judgement on observing people simply regurgitating what they had heard on the news broadcast, or in a newspaper, rather than synthesizing those bits of information into something original. He felt a mindlessness was creeping into our world, in the same way that protesters chant at rallies. 

I bring this up now because it seems more difficult to get information that isn't loaded with bias and judgement. When I pay attention to media, (anti)social or otherwise, it feels less like information and more like manipulation. It isn't even subtle anymore. 

Let's have a discussion. Or at least, have a think, then come to your own conclusions.

Here are three videos at different levels on the topic of manipulation in the modern age.

If you are concerned about the effects of the social media echo chamber, this video might be one to pass along to a school-aged family member:

For someone a bit older, this youth TED talk:

and for the adults in the room, how social media drives extremism.