The article discusses the urgent need for media literacy in a “post-truth” era dominated by disinformation, propaganda, and fake news, which are increasingly exploiting emotional responses. While traditional approaches focus on improving information-processing skills, these interventions are often inadequate because the issues extend beyond logic to affect—how emotions shape our reactions to stimuli.
The piece highlights how entities like Cambridge Analytica have recognized that emotional manipulation magnifies cognitive biases. Current digital tactics often leverage frustration and rage, particularly through social media algorithms that prize engagement over quality, allowing harmful trolling and propagandistic messages to thrive. Prominent figures in politics, including those connected to the Trump administration, have effectively used these strategies to sow division and induce emotional turmoil in opponents.
To counter these tactics, educators and communicators must not only defend truth and critical thinking but also embrace concepts like affect, desire, and the unconscious. This dual approach means integrating emotional mindfulness and critical reflection into educational frameworks, as traditional methods such as fact-checking focus too narrowly on quantifiable truths and data.
The article argues for a return to rhetorical principles that understand how persuasion operates in ambiguous contexts, urging a more nuanced exploration of how symbols evoke emotions. These insights can guide more effective responses to disinformation and its manipulation of audiences. Therefore, the fight against propaganda must encompass more than just logic; it must engage with the emotional roots of persuasion.
