![](https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/2432a824-c3a6-4482-b964-3486aadd60a8.png)
![](https://fry.gs/pictrs/image/c6832070-8625-4688-b9e5-5d519541e092.png)
“It’s probably not true, but you know, it COULD be true”.
That’s exactly how they get you. Then the next time you see a story like this, all you think is “yeah, haven’t I heard something like this before?” and confirm the new BS you’re being fed.
This instance isn’t true. This is someone manipulating you. Like, the manipulation you’re afraid of? It’s right here.
And now you have to wonder, who gains from making you believe this one is real? I’ll leave that one up to you. But in the words of George Carlin: “It’s a big club, and you ain’t in it”.
You should doubt everything you hear. Pull it apart and see if the pieces themselves make any sense. Examine the logic and look for flaws in it that make the conclusion invalid. Ask questions.
You SHOULD doubt me, absolutely. Hold everything up to the light. A very important question to ask is “why am I being told this? Who’s interests is served by telling me this?” Examine every piece.
For example, in the article, notice how everything is “seemingly” “implied” or “appears to”. Those aren’t definitive words. Those are gossip words. No concrete claim is actually made. Just the appearance of one. The sources are just other random Twitter comments speculating.