The Best Debate in the Universe

Episode #30 - Don Caldwell, Know Your Meme, Fake News Labels, Rucka's New Album, Orangutan Broadsword Battle

Dec 26, 2016
Guest
Don Caldwell
Don Caldwell, Senior Editor at Know Your Meme, dives into the intriguing world of memes and misinformation. He passionately argues against censorship as a solution for fake news, highlighting the challenges of biased fact-checkers. The discussion also explores the origins of viral conspiracies like Pizzagate and the societal influences behind meme sharing. Caldwell emphasizes the importance of disincentivizing fake news by cutting ad revenue for misleading sites. Tune in for a thought-provoking debate on the nuances of information in the digital age!
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INSIGHT

Memes Are Tribal Signals

  • Memes function as tribal signals that show group loyalty and values online.
  • Don Caldwell argues politicized memes mainly serve social signaling rather than information exchange.
ANECDOTE

Charity Turned Into Self-Parody

  • Maddox recounts donating to the Red Cross and turning it into a self-mythologizing publicity stunt.
  • He found a certificate addressed to "the Honorable Maddox" and used it to mock his own virtue signaling.
INSIGHT

Flags Won't Fix The Root Cause

  • Labeling or censoring fake news is a small bandaid on a broader misinformation problem.
  • Don Caldwell emphasizes deeper causes like social incentives and tribalism drive circulation more than single flags.
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