the beheading babies story is a microcosm of how the press sets the stage for misinformation to prevail.

hamas comitted terrible atrocities against children. intentional, close-quarters murder of children or civilians by any means is enough.

but they likely did not behead infants. press and even the president were eager to repeat what was basically salacious gossip, precisely because it dramatized an essential truth. but, though perhaps “inspired by a true story”, it was probably a lie. 1/

now, it will be easy for disinformation actors to paint the whole event with the same brush. there was no atrocity, all of that was lies and exaggeration by the Western lapdog press. they told you babies were beheaded, why should you believe them about anything?

reporters who perceive themselves as crusading for truth and justice, eager to tell the world of the horrors, instead make it more likely that the horrors will dissipate into a kind of he said, she said. 2/

the effect of this is catastrophic on our ability to reach consensus and act effectively. this is precisely how “russiagate” became the “russia hoax”, for example. /fin