Media

Blogs

  • Number of blogs on the Internet grew from 70 million in 2007 to over 500 million in 2019

  • Tumblr hosted 470 million blogs in 2019

  • A blog (shortened form of "web log") is an online diary for individuals or groups to reflect on events, topics, or personal experiences.

  • Bloggers share insights to inform others or voice dissenting opinions.

  • Topics can range from personal to business, with niches including baking, current events, fitness, and fashion.

  • Many blogs go unnoticed, while some achieve popularity and financial success.

  • Blogs allow individuals to present ideas to a global audience and foster dialogue, leading to an online global community.

  • Notable blogs like Gizmodo, HuffPost, Mashable, LifeHacker, and The Daily Beast can attract millions of visitors.

  • HuffPost, the most popular blog, receives over 110 million unique visitors monthly

  • Blogging has become more popular, with some blogs like HuffPost and Daily Kos taking on roles traditionally held by mainstream journalism.

  • Major media outlets, such as The New York Times, have integrated blogging into their daily offerings.

Echo Chambers

  • Critics argue that blog readers often only engage with content that confirms their pre-existing beliefs, known as the "echo-chamber effect."

  • The echo-chamber effect leads individuals to insulate themselves from opposing viewpoints, hindering their ability to understand or accept differing beliefs

Harry Frankfurt “On Bullshit”

  • Truth Tellers: Know the truth and are dedicated to speaking it; committed to truth dissemination.

  • Liars: Aware of the truth but aim to hide it; seek to deceive to promote their views or suppress others.

  • Bullshitters: Indifferent to the truth; focus on spreading their own

Echo chambers are the domain of the bullshitter, and this makes them dangerous

  • “Fake News”, especially the kind you find on sites like Facebook and TikTok, are prime examples of “bullshittery”

  • Influencers who peddle in bullshit don’t care what the truth is; the stories are designed to make you hate the “other side” or dismiss their beliefs as not merely wrong, but evil

  • In online spaces, no one knows who anyone else is; how do we verify the person we’re listening to knows what they’re talking about?

  • What should we care about: holding a popular belief, or a true one?