@ai6yr @mcnado those that follow the lies and conspiracy theories are very insecure about any argument that includes any grey area… where both sides may have well founded yet contradictory arguments.

For #maga and #truebelievers, what seems to be half the population of the US, a well spun black and white lie told by a trusted storyteller, no matter how ludicrous, is easier to believe than reality.

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-psychological-traits-fuel-conspiracy-theorist.html#google_vignette

@davoyager I’m not saying #Faux is to blame: #religion has been herding their #truebelievers long before #murdoch (and the #republicans, etc…) found they could capitalize on it

I can’t tell you what percentage of the population is insecure with ambiguity and tends towards #blackandwhite answers, irrespective of facts, but I’d say anecdotally: it’s around half the population (more than would say they are religious… and I don’t mean to imply all religious folk are #truebelievers )

@davoyager I agree those are both problems, but the fundamental flaw, IMHO, is the #truebelievers and their #storytellers that spin lies with only a modicum of truth but convincingly enough to make it sound unambiguous/#blackandwhite. The storytellers stoke fear leading to hate in targeted groups: the basis for #fascism

They can’t tolerate ambiguity or any notion that two opposing arguments can be valid so only believe the conspiracy theories… and there’s no arguing with them

@wdlindsy #truebelievers don’t need evidence, they only require the solid conviction of the storytellers who claim the issue is black and white and without ambiguity or any competing valid argument. It’s the storyteller’s performance that rally the fear that becomes the hate that supports the autocratic #fascists for whom a majority of voters have ceded our democracy.

Anybody who sees two sides of the story or any grey area in the argument is a heretic who cannot be trusted

@RationalizedInsanity “there are more rape claims against #trump than there are #transgender women in the #NCAA”

For #fascists, this is their foot in the door. Foment fear and hate against a very small minority, then increase the size of group to hate until the #maga #truebelievers are fully aligned against all #lgbtq and #GayMarriage… and eventually all non #Christians