The Misinformation Age How False Beliefs Spread
The Misinformation Age: How False Beliefs Spread by Cailin O’Connor, published by Yale University Press in 2020, explores the social dynamics behind the persistence of false beliefs. This 266-page book examines why individuals often hold onto demonstrably false beliefs despite the potential consequences, emphasizing the role of social connections over individual psychology in shaping what people believe.
Readers will find a thorough analysis of how social factors contribute to the spread of misinformation, particularly in a political climate marked by “fake news” and “alternative facts.” O’Connor and co-author James Weatherall argue that understanding these social forces is crucial for addressing the challenges posed by misinformation. The book delves into topics such as psychology, media studies, and social science, providing insights into the mechanisms that allow false beliefs to thrive in contemporary society.
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The social dynamics of “alternative facts”: why what you believe depends on who you know
“Empowering and thoroughly researched, this book offers useful contemporary analysis and possible solutions to one of the greatest threats to democracy.”–Kirkus Reviews
Editors’ choice, New York Times Book Review * Recommended reading, Scientific American
Why should we care about having true beliefs? And why do demonstrably false beliefs persist and spread despite bad, even fatal, consequences for the people who hold them?
Philosophers of science Cailin O’Connor and James Weatherall argue that social factors, rather than individual psychology, are what’s essential to understanding the spread and persistence of false beliefs. It might seem that there’s an obvious reason that true beliefs matter: false beliefs will hurt you. But if that’s right, then why is it (apparently) irrelevant to many people whether they believe true things or not?
The Misinformation Age, written for a political era riven by “fake news,” “alternative facts,” and disputes over the validity of everything from climate change to the size of inauguration crowds, shows convincingly that what you believe depends on who you know. If social forces explain the persistence of false belief, we must understand how those forces work in order to fight misinformation effectively.
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