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Into the Belly of the Beast
A Case Study on how Information can be used to Manipulate Emotions
I went somewhat viral earlier, for this post. It went about as I expected. It got a bunch of attention, including such lovely responses as this one:
You are vile scum…a piece of human excrement…Look it up dummy
For the most part, I have tried to keep a low profile online. I have happily remained off to the side and observed. But I kept getting struck by something: I saw so many people getting attacked. For who they are, not what they say. There are people who constantly harass others. I have seen cases where people will keep making new accounts in order to continue to attack people when they have already been blocked. So I decided to throw myself into the ring as a target. It was eye-opening.
The Headline
Today I Gave My Dad A Choice: Trump or His Grandkids and His Son
The headline was constructed to paint a very specific picture. And it had the desired effect. People clicked the link.
The Hate
The article had the desired effect. It prompted some very aggressive and nasty comments. So far over the last few days, I have been called the following:
- a Socialist
