Limited Sight Distance
On how to bypass misinformation and redirect tunnel vision.
Welcome to the riders who’ve recently joined this adventure!
Route 24 is your civic education stop for stories driving public trust.
Since 2017, I’ve been researching traffic stop data, policing trends, and the communities most affected. This is where I share some of what I’ve learned and how it shapes civic education at the national and international levels.
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In this issue: Much of the dominant messaging within the Democratic coalition has evolved around a strategy of educating and exposing sources of misinformation and disinformation. At times, that messaging has presented the national political discourse as a cautionary tale. In others, it has pointed out the behavioral inconsistencies of everyday Americans. And, on occasion, it has resulted in political compromises that feel like a betrayal of hard-won values. There’s more to this, though…
Studies in children’s learning development indicate that the ability to learn is impacted by a child’s level of belief in their learning capacity. In this issue, I suggest that the same science applies to voting behavior: a voter’s ability to identify sources of misinformation and disinformation is impacted by that voter’s level of belief in their learning capacity. I explain how positioning has allowed for divide-and-conquer tactics to gain traction in our current political calculus, how bypassing misinformation may prove most effective, and how design thinking in practice may redirect tunnel vision.
Perception Time
In computer science, the divide-and-conquer algorithm works by dividing problems into subgroups, which help to solve for the original, more complex origin problem. In political theory, the divide-and-conquer tactic (also known as divide and rule, or by the Latin, divide et impera) works by dividing existing power structures, which limit capacity building and cause internal rivalries. With divide-and-conquer issue framing, traction is gained by influencing perception with false leads.
Here’s the perception problem: nobody likes to be told they’re wrong, even if you give them a substantiated reason. If, however, a positive use case that indirectly refutes their negative viewpoint is presented, perception changes. That’s the core premise behind bypassing research.
Participants in a recent study were exposed to a series of false and factual headlines. One group was corrected. The other group was presented with new information. The study suggested that bypassing led to more positive perception than overt correction.
Frictional Resistance
Design thinking is a human-centered, user-first approach that focuses on clarifying, ideating, developing, and implementing solutions. Thinking about how people are affected by policies and practices helps to redirect tunnel vision problem-solving, placing top priority on the end user of a product or experience.
Here’s how it works in practice:
- wrote about how Tesla drivers are purchasing replacement badges for their vehicles to distance themselves from Elon Musk.
Center for Policing Equity wrote about how their data scientists worked with the Contra Costa Public Defenders Office to develop a blueprint for improved client data collection and infrastructure.
Force Multiplier organized a fundraiser with Democracy Forward, Public Citizen, State Democracy Defenders, and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, to help concerned citizens better understand the legal implications of the Trump administration’s actions. The event will take place on Wednesday, March 26th at 4:00 PM PT/7:00 PM ET on Zoom.
Brake Reaction
The ongoing flood of misinformation and disinformation would make anyone feel as though they’re driving with their emergency brake on. We are living in times where we’re in close proximity to complex intersections, so please allow adequate time to judge oncoming traffic. Hone your driver’s eye.
For subscribers, our next discussion thread will be held one week from today on Monday, March 24th at 5:30PM PT/8:30PM ET. For one hour, we’ll discuss many of the points outlined in this issue and I welcome you to share any research, stories, or experiences you’ve come across that may help to restore public trust.
As always, thank you for taking a drive on Route 24!
Stay the course,
Sam
Sam Reetz, is a filmmaker, performer, and founder at Millennial Ethics, creating narrative solutions to complex issues.
Follow her work on Bluesky, Substack and Instagram.
Looking for ways to collaborate with Route 24? Consider writing a guest post. Guest posts on Route 24 are interdisciplinary with a focus on the intersections of artistic practice, technology, and civil society.
If interested, reach out to me for more information: route24@substack.com
