Disinformation or Information

 Deception is a key element of disinformation. There are those among us who can't recognize disinformation because they were not taught how to discern the difference, but eventually find their way to the truth by developing critical thinking skills.

Critical thinking requires that one does not take information at face value. What is "face value?"

"Face value" is measured by who produces the information, what anecdotes or stories support the information, and finally, evidence that supports the information.

Unfortunately, that last part, evidence, is ignored by a roughly one-third of the population of not just the United States, but the whole world. Aristotle called it the "modes of persuasion," Logos meaning logic, the actual evidence that supports the argument, Pathos meaning emotions and feelings, where the story told is relatable to the audience, and Ethos meaning credibility and ethics, or the importance and popularity of the person telling the story.

That last part is especially important, because for a large portion of our population, it doesn't take much to become popular. All it takes, apparently, is the willingness to sacrifice one's own legitimate reputation to attack fellow intellectuals. To tell lies that you know will ruin your reputation among fellow elites. But they won't call you out. They will applaud your victory over the minds of Simpletons and Troglodytes.

These days it only requires that you claim you have files that show you are right, without even producing them for anyone to see. It's hard to believe that people are really like this, yet there are those who believe that the old films like 'Bedknobs and Broomsticks' and 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' are secret coded entertainment for child sexual grooming.

Films back in the day were meant to entice film studio executives to fund projects. The couch casting must have been phenomenal.

It's all totally fake. There is nothing here but fools. Disinformation affects only them. The most dangerous among us make themselves visible to society to criticize, and eventually arrest for crimes of civil rights.