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What's happening in the US scares me, an Australian, because for the last decade or so I've been watching my right-wing father-in-law's grief and fear be misdirected and amplified by the Herald Sun and Facebook memes in such a way that he could see this as reasonable.
He is not a stupid man: he is very well read and is a critical thinker. Do not equate "was not prepared for the online age" and "disagrees with me on important political points" for a lack of mental capacity.
What he is, though, is scared for both his financial future and his physical wellbeing as he ages. Today's economic world makes no sense to somebody who grew up in the period of "get a good job, have it for life" and "if you go to uni you're set".
NewsCorp are more than willing to take advantage of this: franking credits is a good example. That's not new, though: Fry & Laurie did a sketch on this in 1995 - BBC have striked it from youtube, google "It's a Soaraway Life"
NewsCorp at least need to make a passing reference to the truth (and print very small retractions later) - Facebook groups & Youtube videos, shared to him from friends that he trusts, do not.
He (and most people of his generation) are not prepared! "Don't believe everything you read or see on TV" doesn't equip you for "Maybe your friend didn't check the source of that article titled 'The left are making sure you don't get the vaccine so that you can't vote'"
Enough of this content - enough that constructs a reality where everything vaguely "new" or "progressive" is part of a conspiracy - and you can start to see anything that runs counter to that as the underdog that needs to be backed at all costs.
Facebook, Twitter, and social media in general have kept me connected this year - but they're also a really big part of why we're where we are right now. They're acting, but it's too late, and they're not doing enough.
I'm sad, I'm scared, and I'm tired.
I'm sad, I'm scared, and I'm tired.
