Real Clear Politics runs column from AIM President Adam Guillette
July 26, 2024
A Different Crisis of Faith
In the immediate aftermath the tragedy in Butler County, Pennsylvania, two things were certain. First, conspiracies would immediately be created to garner attention and clicks. And second, politicians and activists would use the situation to advance their agendas – even if the facts didn’t support what they were trying to sell.
A situation as serious as an assassination attempt creates an exceptional opportunity for bad actors to spread misinformation. Social media usually gets blamed for this, but that is unfair. Conspiracy theories proliferate because the American people have lost faith in their societal institutions. Gallup consistently shows that roughly two-thirds of Americans distrust the media. And according to Pew, just 22% of Americans say they trust the government in Washington to do what is right “just about always” or “most of the time.” When we can’t trust these institutions to keep us informed, it’s entirely reasonable to expect other dubious sources to fill in the gaps.
Americans would do well to remember that even if their politicians regularly lie to them, there’s no reason to suspect that a random Twitter account is any more honest with you. Your desire to learn the truth does not mean you should allow bad actors to fill you with lies – even if they are lies you want to believe.