Survival of the Fibbest? Study Suggests BS Conspiracy Theories Have Roots in Human Evolution
According to researchers, the "Big Lies" of leaders like Trump may be deeply ingrained in human development.
A new paper by two political scientist and an anthropologist aims to explain how humans have evolved to spread conspiracy theories, misinformation, and other falsehoods through communities as a way of gaining an advantage over opposing factions--maintaining the upper hand in a society by mobilizing large groups of people and securing their loyalty, as former President Donald Trump and other demagogues throughout history.
\u201cWith @Osmundsen_M & John Tooby, I have argued that our minds have evolved to prioritize - and spread - falsehood over truth in intergroup conflicts: https://t.co/gs0XteooLA\n\nIn this new @Salon piece, @PaulHRosenberg & I discuss the theory & implications: https://t.co/kBOwOxNakf\u201d— Michael Bang Petersen (@Michael Bang Petersen) 1628446595
"Belief in information and content that other people would say is blatantly false is becoming more widespread. It can have some pretty dire consequences, as we could see for example with the storming of the Capitol on January 6."
--Michael Bang Petersen
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A new paper by two political scientist and an anthropologist aims to explain how humans have evolved to spread conspiracy theories, misinformation, and other falsehoods through communities as a way of gaining an advantage over opposing factions--maintaining the upper hand in a society by mobilizing large groups of people and securing their loyalty, as former President Donald Trump and other demagogues throughout history.
\u201cWith @Osmundsen_M & John Tooby, I have argued that our minds have evolved to prioritize - and spread - falsehood over truth in intergroup conflicts: https://t.co/gs0XteooLA\n\nIn this new @Salon piece, @PaulHRosenberg & I discuss the theory & implications: https://t.co/kBOwOxNakf\u201d— Michael Bang Petersen (@Michael Bang Petersen) 1628446595
"Belief in information and content that other people would say is blatantly false is becoming more widespread. It can have some pretty dire consequences, as we could see for example with the storming of the Capitol on January 6."
--Michael Bang Petersen
A new paper by two political scientist and an anthropologist aims to explain how humans have evolved to spread conspiracy theories, misinformation, and other falsehoods through communities as a way of gaining an advantage over opposing factions--maintaining the upper hand in a society by mobilizing large groups of people and securing their loyalty, as former President Donald Trump and other demagogues throughout history.
\u201cWith @Osmundsen_M & John Tooby, I have argued that our minds have evolved to prioritize - and spread - falsehood over truth in intergroup conflicts: https://t.co/gs0XteooLA\n\nIn this new @Salon piece, @PaulHRosenberg & I discuss the theory & implications: https://t.co/kBOwOxNakf\u201d— Michael Bang Petersen (@Michael Bang Petersen) 1628446595
"Belief in information and content that other people would say is blatantly false is becoming more widespread. It can have some pretty dire consequences, as we could see for example with the storming of the Capitol on January 6."
--Michael Bang Petersen