When you aren't an expert, then you try to find answers by looking it up, as I explained. It isn't hard, and this one in particular is a common joke. On some subjects a simple search won't work as well, I'll grant you that. However you seemed hellbent on defending people jumping to conclusions without som3 due diligence. That's on the person. Misinformation spreads because lazy people want to go off of gut reactions and not even make sure the stuff they spread is true or a misunderstanding.

Why are you so invested in not even trying to fact check? Apologies if that isn't your point, because it sure feels like it.

[–] CaptnNMorgan@reddthat.com 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

It's not my point. No need to apologize though. I just think a lady online being startled by those words and posting about it saying "have you seen this?" is not at all the same as satanic panic. Who knows maybe that's exactly what she was doing but I doubt it. It was probably just a startled Mom or Auntie

[–] chatokun@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 5 months ago

Yeah, they probably were. I might be a bit more sensitive because I've seen people ruined by simple stuff like this, and algorithms that encorage going further down the shock, anger, and fear pipeline. I'm pretty adamant that people fact check instead of being shocked, as those moms and aunties might become future Ashli Babbitts. That of course could be just me paying more attention to that side of indoctrination, because I worry what harm it could cause.

Still, I was mostly engaging in an discussion that cherry picked stuff is dangerous even if people don't think it is. Plenty of people have been radicalized starting with jokes and minor misunderstandings that never got corrected. I try to at least steer people towards looking into things even occasionally on joke posts. It may be overreacting, but I remember a time where I was dumb enough to accept "Nice guys finish last" as a somewhat true joke.