We’re about 15 years into the age of social media and people. It is part of our lives and much as there are now quarters in society that seek to demonize it, the fact is humanity remains squarely in a trajectory that leads to a world where human behaviour is increasingly guided — very likely driven — by one machine algorithm or another.
Indeed, social media just happens to be the easy most politicised target for vilification. The fact is, however, we have long ago been subservient to algorithms. Think of those traffic lights that guide your driving. We wholeheartedly trust a green light assured that, as it signals us to proceed, it is signalling others to stop and give way to us. Stepping back further, consider other mundane examples. Airplanes carrying hundreds of people are routinely landed by algorithms. Crewmembers of fast food outlets like McDonald’s move to the instructions displayed on monitors by computerised order fulfillment systems. Closer to home, drivers that form the vast on-demand delivery and transport systems of Uber, Grab, and FoodPanda are no better than blind aimless ants derailed from their pheromone trail without the apps through which the system they are a part of direct their actions.
One therefore comes to thinking about these elections. The Philippine Opposition have turned into a chi chi fashion statement the blaming of all their troubles on social media and the bits of “disinformation” (along with “legit” information) that live, breed, and die within its ecosystem. They whine about one partisan camp “weaponising” it to their “nefarious” ends. One wonders though; if it was the Opposition that had been more successful at using social media (which, one needs to be reminded, is a tool available to everyone) to achieve their “disente” ends, would they and their lackeys in Big Corporate “News” Media still describe the way they wielded it with a loaded word like “weaponise”?
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A certain Vip Malixi who is a “freelance iOS developer, cartoonist, and writer who covers information technology and psychology” was given a bit of space on the Inquirer today to warn the peasantry about how social media is skewing their world view and issues this pompous lament…
I find this state of things depressing, as the average Joe, indeed, will not bother to make the extra effort to find out what’s what. The result: These social media companies are priming an army of ignorant people, who can be more easily manipulated, to lead our society to god-knows-what ends.
Well now, “priming an army of ignorant people”. Gee, that’s you and me, right? This is the professor suggesting that whoever is losing in these elections are “victims” of “ignorant” voters who were “easily manipulated” by presumably “evil” forces. That’s a convenient excuse for losing elections that is certainly on its way to become an overused one. One wonders if the Opposition led by the Yellowtard bloc have their own social media operations; because if they do have one (and most likely they do have one) then they are hypocrites.
The fact is, the Yellowtards are losing this popularity contest because they did not choose their weapons well and wield what they chose competently. They’re effectively saying that they lost because the enemy fought better — but said in a shrill whiny way. Social media is here to stay and it is evolving at a pace that keeps it five steps ahead of legislation and regulators. Best way to deal with it is to see it for the sword that it is and be a better swordsman in the battles you choose.
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
Democracies love ignorant voters.
liberals love ignorant voters
The ABCD class, whose majority prefer BBM per the latest survey, are now considered ignorant voters? Maybe these ‘Opposition’ thought leaders are from Mars. Hehehe.
That’s why Filipinos would stick by BBM because of these kind of people.
Not too fast, y’all. The race is not yet over. BBM hasn’t won yet.
This Marcos-copycat, your idol, is leading in a survey with five months to go. There will be several surveys that will come out before everybody gets to vote, calm down.
And stop jumping like crazy chimpanzees because there is no trophy yet. ?
Says the painter who spends too much time beating other people on internet with his gotcha moments.
That’s why you glorify Ferdinand E. Marcos, your late strongman and most decorated war hero with 32 real medals.
Oh, it’s good to see that Dio became an anti-Marcos after getting beaten by being an idiot and got outsmarted by a buffed 17 year old. 😀
Filipinos vote with their gut and not with their head and that’s why BBM is leading Leni by a wide margin.
Filipino voters hate Leni and her supporters’ guts because of their perceived arrogant and snobbish attitude. That’s why they would rather vote someone who would beat the shit out of them (Duterte) or take shit from them (BBM).
Too bad your pinklawan idol does not use her head. Just a muppet for her handlers.
Say so by another arrogant apologist who hates the informal Du30 and winnable BBM. Hehehe.
Don’t make assumptions my friend. I don’t like Leni’s core supporters either because I know some of them personally.
Most of them think the ‘masa’ voters are either dumb or brainwashed by Facebook which I myself thought until I talk and meet them when I got to work alongside them.
Its true that some of them are misinformed but most of them are just common people trying to make a honest living and they think people like Leni and her supports are just blabbering fools who are out of touch with reality and looks down upon them.
Somebody said BBM is ‘circumventing’ traditional media by going straight to social media to communicate to the audience. It seems they really do think they have the authority to manage people’s perception. They held the microphone for so long that they think they can own people.
Leni in 33 points down in 5-way race plus her campaign team doesn’t have the resources nor the strategy to win a national campaign in 2022 as they could not come up with a coherent strategy other than disqualifying BBM.
Also, the political headwinds no longer favors them. Duterte destroyed the Cory-EDSA coalition that dominated Philippine politics from 1986 and replaced it with his own coalition which is the one we are currently right now and which BBM is making the most of by having Sara as her running mate.
This a reply to Juan Luna’s comment
You may be right about Leni, however, you are also entirely wrong on BBM.
Tell us, what does he got to offer to the country other than bring back his family to power? All his life things are given to him in a silver platter and you’re about to give him one next year. Sure, he served Ilocos very well, but Ilocos are purely Ilocanos. It’s like serving your own relatives. You really think he’s running to better the country? Nope, he’s running to make sure that the family remains influential, stable and indictment-free. Right now, the family are on the fringes and BBM wants this changed, and he can only do this if he becomes president.
Just like Noynoy, or even worse, he’ll have difficulty running the country half of which hates him and his family.
What’s happening is a game of musical chairs where the political families just take turns in taking over the office of the president which they feel they are entitled to over people like you. Since Noynoy became president, the loyalists now wants their boy to become one, too. And you’re all just pawns on the ongoing game of the titans.
You’re just being paranoid at this point. Relax, you’re being in too much of politics.
Thanks, fan! ?
Do you have any better option? I dont prefer him also in the first place after evaluating all other candidates then he is the better choice.
Check your system of evaluation, something’s wrong with it.
Anyone who believes existing governments are worth voting for are showing ignorance to how corrupt the system is.
Are you suggesting anarchy? I’ve seen alot of anti-governments saying the same.
The pinktards will lose because, they are evil..this is good vs evil, and they are evil.
Marcos apologia should be hip for its own good, you maggot.
Hurling insults won’t help your case, no matter how right you are.
Opposition “thought leaders” want us to believe they will lose the elections because of ignorant voters
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I think if BBM wins it’s not because voters are ignorant, it’s because times have changed. The thinking may have been transformed, the recollection process altered or people, curious or not, just want to try something else. It could also mean that we have reached a stage in our political life where we feel that it’s okey to forget the past and give a second chance opportunity to those people who may have been a part of the past but not directly involved or implicated in wrongdoings.
Or simply, because the pinktards are evil.
I wouldn’t be so quick on calling them evil and they’re just like any die hard fans, toxicity exists in every community. It’s just that Leni has a backup from her allied mainstream media which pretty much understandable that some would go with BBM as spite vote against rabid Leni fans.
Also, the mainstream media especially Rappler, ironically hurt Leni’s image because it makes her look more elitist. Personally, my image of a Leni supporter is a young-professional who works drinks a lot of latte and works in a high-rise building in BGC or Ortigas . They look arrogant and snobbish especially to people who don’t share their worldview. This image of Leni’s supporters that I’ve come up with is because of Rappler’s writers, contributors and “thought-leaders” (the title of “thought-leader” alone would make them look arrogant and snobbish).
There is no spite vote.leni is just a worthless phony who cant get votes.
When the debates come around she’ll break down and cry and get even fewer votes.
Leni already lost, does grp like stomping on people who already got beat? It’s over. Time to talk about something else.
That depends on Benign0 or the other authors aren’t around yet.
And moral agency will be questionable and it may not be clear either.