The world is awash with information. Some information is misinformation (falsehoods), and some misinformation is disinformation (deliberate falsehoods), but all of it is stuff that needs to processed in order to be useful, otherwise it's not much better than gossip or rumor.
Some people believe that misinformation must be suppressed lest other people do stupid or harmful things. A recent example would be the riots in England, which are alleged to have been "caused" by false rumors about the identity of someone who killed and injured children at a party. Additional examples are easily found, and I suspect they will multiply significantly once "AI" programs are used more frequently to generate "content" for posting on "social" media.
But here's the thing: human beings aren't Skinnerian stimulus-response machines. Those who give their attention to rumors and then take action (especially violent action like rioting or attacking those they disagree with) based on those rumors aren't merely misinformed - more fundamentally, they lack wisdom. If you ask me, the untruths aren't to blame; instead, it's those who haven't bothered to acquire a modicum of wisdom and common sense in the first place.
Although wisdom won't inoculate you from all foolishness, it certainly helps!
(Cross-posted at philosopher.coach.)
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