The Truth Doesn’t Matter

Nick Hilton commenting on Steven Bartlet and posted to LinkedIn:

Content being interesting and provocative is more valuable, to creators, than it being accurate or instructional.

We’ve known for a long time, stupid headlines get clicks, and this is an extension of that for the video centric world we live in now. Particularly when we discuss short form video, attention-grabbing reels and TikTok’s are all that matters. In a world where everyone is playing the same game it’s a race to the most hyperbolic (aka The Bottom).

Whilst I know exactly what Nick is saying here, I also understand that everyone seems to think this is OK. It’s acceptable to make stupid remarks and promote untrue facts on whatever medium you’re posting to. It’s just for the views, and my views seem outdated now. Neal Veglio left a comment that really stuck with me, “We’re Timex watches in a smartwatch age. Accuracies become optional if the headline 'bangs’”.

Perhaps I am old, and everyone should be allowed to make their mind up. Despite having done absolutely nothing with it, I have a science degree, and it has always stood me in good stead with the modern world because it gave me a keener eye for bullshit. It taught me to question everything, and look at the research method and other supporting evidence instead of treating it at face value. Indeed, others should be welcome to believe whatever it is they want to believe, but there’s always a cost.

Today it might be the world being flat, or that you need to do a different form of exercise to be healthy. Yet tomorrow you perhaps don't need to drink water or not believing who won the election. When as much as 50% of 16-34 year olds get their information from social media we seriously have a problem.