Some of what’s happening is related to the dynamics of social media platforms, which favor bold, engaging claims over dry and careful ones. But there seems to be something else happening, too — a force that is pulling us all toward conspiracy theories these days, no matter our political persuasion. I thought of Martin Gurri, a media theorist whose work I find provocative, even if I disagree with some of his conclusions. These groups, Mr. Gurri writes, develop their own sources of authority. For another group, a teenage girl’s TikTok feed or a QAnon believer’s YouTube channel might hold more sway.

Source: New York Times October 07, 2020 19:18 UTC