Well I'm surprised you guys think it's so harmless to spread baseless lies. It's very counter-productive for society to be blase about the dissemination of misinformation. I think those with facts should push back on stupidity and lies. It is possible for whole groups of people to be wrong (eg Nazis) and allowing untruths to be told is wrong in and of itself, let alone the damage it can cause in extreme cases.
Look at the town hall meetings in the States from a few weeks ago. Stupidity, lies and misinformation are leading to chaotic and dangerous situations in the USA, not to mention the damage to people's lives that will be caused if the States doesn't begin to reform their sub-par medical system. The only thing holding progress back is the outspoken "free speech" of dopes and the inability of the truth to contain lies.
I don't know how lies should be contained, but to deny the harm they cause is naive.
|