Okay, hear me out… I have no place for this anymore because conspiracy theories are overrun by super crazy people… but that’s not my point right now…
So, my conspiracy theory is that some government entity established satirical websites as a means to spread misinformation or to desensitize the population…
It’s really strange that like pre 2008 (i dont have excat dates here), there were basically none of these kinds of sites, and then they started popping up everywhere…
It’s one of those things that I believe got us to this point…
But you provide no references, which mean none exist! My god, maybe this commenter is on to something and satire was invented in 2008 to turn us into sheeple!
(I love a good/shit conspiracy theory and stand equally behind op and this comment)
There’s been an increase in satire websites for sure, largely driven by the popularity of the Onion, and it does cause problems. There are conservative outlets which 100% put out complete and utter bullshit under the guise of “satire,” knowing that their audience has the gullibility of a five year old, and that’ll end up on garbage Facebook pages as unironic.
It’s not “conspiracy” but more - the Onion is very popular, popular things get knock offs, and opportunists saw a way to inject lies into the public discourse, while claiming they’re “satire.” (Similar to how CinemaSins on YouTube uses the term, “we were wrong about a basic thing in the movie? psych! the jokes on you for taking it seriously!)
I really miss that brief time that the Babylon Bee was good.
Kolanaki@pawb.social 3 weeks ago
I am pretty sure Hard Drive dot net is a satirical tech blog.
Joeffect@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Okay, hear me out… I have no place for this anymore because conspiracy theories are overrun by super crazy people… but that’s not my point right now…
So, my conspiracy theory is that some government entity established satirical websites as a means to spread misinformation or to desensitize the population…
It’s really strange that like pre 2008 (i dont have excat dates here), there were basically none of these kinds of sites, and then they started popping up everywhere…
It’s one of those things that I believe got us to this point…
But I’m probably crazy and wrong who knows
skulblaka@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
I can assure you with absolute certainty that satire has been an established tradition for a very long time before 2008
krunklom@lemmy.zip 3 weeks ago
Lies. Voltaire was a deep state psy op
oneser@lemmy.zip 3 weeks ago
But you provide no references, which mean none exist! My god, maybe this commenter is on to something and satire was invented in 2008 to turn us into sheeple!
(I love a good/shit conspiracy theory and stand equally behind op and this comment)
andros_rex@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
The Onion started publishing in 1988, and was online by 1996.
Landover Baptist has been on the net since 1998. I stumbled on it as kid, back when the family computer was for playing Neopets.
There’s been an increase in satire websites for sure, largely driven by the popularity of the Onion, and it does cause problems. There are conservative outlets which 100% put out complete and utter bullshit under the guise of “satire,” knowing that their audience has the gullibility of a five year old, and that’ll end up on garbage Facebook pages as unironic.
It’s not “conspiracy” but more - the Onion is very popular, popular things get knock offs, and opportunists saw a way to inject lies into the public discourse, while claiming they’re “satire.” (Similar to how CinemaSins on YouTube uses the term, “we were wrong about a basic thing in the movie? psych! the jokes on you for taking it seriously!)
I really miss that brief time that the Babylon Bee was good.
outhouseperilous@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 weeks ago
Speaking as someone who got literally any humanities education:
The whole ‘predictive programming’ thing only works on absolute inhumanly stupid dumbfucks who unironically join the ‘homelander’ fan club.
papalonian@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
“the government spreads conspiracy theories” has been a (proven) theory since conspiracy theories existed
Nikls94@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
• Carrots are good for your eyesight
• the [common enemy] did it
• Fats are bad for you
This aes but three of many.