The way social media dramatically accelerates social collapse is maybe more obvious for issues like climate…

The way social media dramatically accelerates social collapse is maybe more obvious for issues like climate change and Covid. But a nice example today of the corrosive damage it does across the board. Was speaking with an insurer and senior manager of a company about EVs. /1

The company is about to allow hybrids and EVs to be part of their fleet. Their discussion was around additional insurance in the case of the EVs catching fire. I asked why that would be needed. Incredulous look from both of them, that somebody would even ask that. /2

Apparently I should know that EVs catch fire, all the time. Except they don’t. Petrol cars are about 100 times more likely to catch fire. Their version of reality comes from EV minimisers on social media. Often funded and promoted by the fossil fuel industry. /3

And this matters, because it’s not just debating points online. This is actual serious policy, in organisations around the country, based on absolute bullshit from social media. It’s sinister, because it’s beneath the radar, unlike when social media impacts politics. I doubt…/4

…there’s a single part of our lives now that isn’t being shaped in this same way. Subtly, daily, bypassing existing hierarchies of hard-won expertise. Corroding society from the inside out, at a speed I don’t think is recognised. 5/5