Summary of Cailin O'Connor & James Owen Weatherall's The Misinformation Age (eBook)

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Book Preview: #1 The Vegetable Lamb was a myth that persisted for centuries, despite being debunked by several leading naturalists. It is still felt today among some that certain foods can cause cancer. -> The Vegetable Lamb was a myth that persisted for centuries, despite being debunked by several leading naturalists.#2 Pope Endorses Trump. -> On September 26, 2016, about six weeks before Donald Trump was elected president of the United States, a website called ETF News posted a story with the headline Pope Francis Shocks World, Endorses Donald Trump for President, Releases Statement. The article was shared or liked on Facebook 960,000 times.#3 This is a book about how people believe things that just aren t true, and how that belief can persist, spread, and impact the world. -> This may sound like a truism, but it is important to remember that our beliefs about the world affect how we make decisions every day. For example, do you eat sushi while pregnant. That depends on whether you believe that the omega-3 fatty acids in fish will promote your baby s brain development or not.#4 Beliefs matter in many ways, and people s beliefs affect their decisions and the world around them. Not all beliefs are created equal: some are false, and some are true. But all of them have the potential to persist and spread, even if they are not based on any personal experience whatsoever.