glumshoe:

I see a lot of progressive young people get angry when propaganda for perspectives they agree with is debunked. Back in 2016 I had a lot of people accuse me of supporting Trump because I pointed out that the photo of his parents wearing Klan robes was photoshopped. Obviously I didn’t support Trump, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s best to base your opinions about the world on things that are true and not things that are lies.

It’s important to remember that every single political and social movement produces artificial propaganda. Even the most pure and righteous cause will have supporters creating fake bullshit or manipulating to inspire pathos and conform to a convenient narrative. Try not to fall for it. Many absolutely outrageous claims turn out to be true, while many others turn out to be fabrications designed to sway opinions or undermine the credibility of a movement by introducing seductive fictions. Critical thinking is good. Suspicion is not a sin. The fact that something “feels” true is not real supporting evidence.