Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice Vol 4, Res 23: Misinformation, Disinformation, and Eternal Sunsets
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We have inhaled a lot of chocolate and sugar lately because we are fully in December-mode and making hot chocolate and marshmallows to give as gifts. This past week we’ve made almost 200 marshmallows, mailed out over 110 holiday cards, and made 176 oz of hot chocolate mix. And we’re just getting started.
I do have a little tip for those of you who are buying books for kids, especially picture books, as holiday gifts and you want to read the book first. Personally, I don’t like to be that person standing in the bookstore reading their books because they are not the library. My tip? Use the library to read the books you want to buy. This does not necessarily mean going to the library! You can use the Libby App to get picture books (and other books) directly viewable on your phone, tablet, or computer. In the past two weeks, I have read 21 picture books in my search for what I want to buy for the kiddos in my life. I am really hesitant to gift a book I haven’t read so I was able to get every single one directly to my table on the Libby App. Also, reading picture books has been an unexpected joy and I think I will do more of it in 2024. I will not list every picture book I read in my “Recent Reads” at the end of this newsletter but you can view all my updates on my Goodreads profile.
Here is a screenshot of my top genres listened to on Spotify in 2023. Resources after the image.
Resource: Article on Misinformation & Disinformation via CNN
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I find the prevalence of misinformation and disinformation to be utterly terrifying. This article gives a high-level overview of the findings shared in a recent APA paper, which I’ll link below. What I appreciate about this article is that it also talks a bit about a couple of online games (and links to them) that intend to teach people about disinformation in efforts to combat gullibility. This article is worth the read, even if you don’t want to read the academic paper it centers on. It’s just so easy to share bullshit while also being incredibly tedious to actually fact-check and learn.
One line from the article I linked is worth highlighting: “They found false information is more believable if it comes from groups people belong to, if they judge the source as credible, or if it stirs emotions such as fear and outrage.”
Resource Part 2: Using Psychological Science to Understand and Fight Health Misinformation: An APA Consensus Statement
Yes, this is a 40+ page paper and maybe you don’t want to read it and I certainly skimmed but did not give a super close read (at this time). I’ve bookmarked it for my upcoming winter break because wow, I know how to party. I do know that this is from the APA and so yes, it’s super psychology-focused and also I think that it is only part of the conversation because it doesn’t look like there were any library and information professionals involved. In the discussions of disinformation and misinformation (and combating them), you absolutely must talk about information-seeking behaviors and if you want me to bore you to death, ask me about information-seeking behaviors. I’m getting excited just typing about it. I might bore y’all with it at some point in the future.
Bonus Fun Thing: Eternal Sunset
The Earth rotates and thus, it is always sunset somewhere on the planet. This site will give you the live feed of a webcam wherever it happens to be sunset when you go onto the site. I’ve always been more of a sunset person than a sunrise person and this site has given me a little spark of joy every time I go to it.
Recent & Current Reads
Inclusion of a book in this section is not necessarily a recommendation and these books won’t necessarily be added to my Bookshop.
Recently Read:
Currently Reading:
Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror edited by Jordan Peele & John Joseph Adams (Bookshop | Amazon | Libro)
Your Salt on My Lips: (Mostly) Queer Literary Erotica by Liz Asch (Bookshop | Amazon)
Opinions: A Decade of Arguments, Criticism, and Minding Other People's Business by Roxane Gay (Bookshop | Libro)
That’s it for this week! You can shop many books I’ve mentioned in this newsletter at my affiliate shop, The Infophile’s Bookshop, and support independent bookstores. In fact, any Bookshop, Amazon, or Etsy links in this newsletter are affiliate links so if you shop through those, it helps support my work. Or you can leave me a tip on Ko-fi, Paypal, or Venmo.
If you want to send me some snail mail, you can find me at P.O. Box 21481, Oakland, CA 94620-1481.
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