The next election will be won by a thousand Trolls. Become a Troll and help educate the mis-informed. Just ten posts a day can save the world.
How do we put a stop to the civil war that seems to be coming? Social media intentially manipulates you into echo chambers of people who are more and more extreme. The solution? Follow your enemies. Start conversations. Educate them.
Check out this talk from a former Google employee who will explain how and why social media manipulates your thought.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=nxOb_3_yR_g#
The objective of trolling is to fill safe spaces with cognitive dissonance. People hide in their safe spaces online. They only want to hear voices that reinforce their own beliefs. Most political facebook groups are cults. Cult members don’t like to associate with outsiders because outsiders create self doubt. By invading their safe space you are making them uncomfortable. You will get cussed and maybe banned. Don’t take it personally; consider that a sufficient victory and move on.
You won’t convince everybody. You probably won’t convince the zealot you are talking to. Your mission is to create doubt with just a few unassimilated readers that are looking down into the cult’s rabbit hole. Don’t waste days down a rabbit hole with a zealot. Engage a little then move on.
Posting on your own facebook page isn’t good enough. Everybody who sees that already agrees with you. Join opposition pages. Seek out the pages of all the cult leaders; Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, etc. But those are noisy places where its hard to have a conversation. Watch for posts there from smaller fringe groups and join them. Check the profiles of those who engage; join the groups they follow. These smaller groups are the place you can do the most good.
Rules:
- No personal insults. Certainly no cussing. They will cuss you. Ask them if you got a fact wrong. Thank them for admitting they are having cognitive dissonance and move on.
- Avoid insulting the group. This will get you banned in some groups.
- Ask questions. You will be less threatening and get more engagement.
- Use a pseudonym. Some of you are afraid of retribution at work… or at least scorn from your own family. Set up a separate account. Use google voice to get a separate phone number to help you establish your pseudonym.
- Keep your remarks short and topical. They won’t read more than a few sentences. Hook them in three sentences and add a link for proof, citation or more information.
- Invite the reader to take positive action to step away from the cult by closing with a hashtag such as #walkaway #demExit or #carlsmarks
