“It’s the People, Stupid!” or is it “It’s the Stupid People?”

Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).

How to Debunk:

1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.

2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.

3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.

4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.

5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.

"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.

"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."

"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."

Sander van der Linden
Social Psychologist
University of Cambridge

Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021

Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.

Update:  McQuade, Barbara, "Attack From Within," 2024.  New York Times best seller.

I stand by my “It’s the people, stupid” play on Bill Clinton’s “It’s the economy, stupid” words in reference to why people vote their pocket books in presidential elections.

And I also, mostly, stand by my position to keep it positive as we go through this stressful election season. But after watching Journalist Rachel Maddow’s documentary From Russia with Lev,” I feel the need to modify my position just slightly.

You might remember that Ukrainian Lev Parnas, a self proclaimed hustler, got himself involved with Donald Trump’s effort to extort the then new Ukrainian president, Vlodymyr Zelensky into creating an investigation into Hunter Biden and his father Joe by withholding foreign aid to Ukraine’s military in it’s war with Russia.

For those that still believe that this is just another election between pro business Republicans and big government Democrats I urge you to watch this film and think again.

I cringe a little at referring to people as “stupid.” I prefer ignorant over stupid because ignorance infers that someone is lacking in the information that they need to make an informed decision. It is not a comment about their mental acuity. But I make an exception here to help me make my point.

If you watch “From Russia with Lev” and still believe that this is just another election maybe I can interest you in a piece of coastal Florida real estate.

This is not a pro business/anti Communist Republican Party v. pro labor /Big Government Democrat Party. It is one political party being run by Americans and one political party being run by Russia with freedom on the ballot..

There is nothing free and fair about the upcoming election. This one has been, is and will be influenced heavily by foreign governments, most notably Russia and specifically, Vladimir Putin. Putin’s incursions into the American political process are painfully exposed in Maddow’s documentary.

The role of Fox News, Sinclair Broadcast Group, One America Network, newsmax and undoubtedly others in promoting fear and division in the United States is one of spreading white nationalist propaganda generated by Putin and his minions.

Let’s be crystal clear. A vote for Trump and the Republican Party at this point is a vote for Putin. Putin will basically be running the White House from Moscow.

Remember the movie “Red Dawn” that first came out in 1984? The Competitive Enterprise Institute ( I love the way the Right Wing names it’s front organizations) has an interesting take on the movie. It might have some new interpretations 40 years later.

Keep paying attention, remain vigilant and active and most importantly vote, support the vote, encourage your family and friends to vote and address misinformation and disinformation when you see it in regards to the vote. Click on the underlined links for more information.