Read the first article in the series here.
The Hive Mind readers do not have to be reminded what disinformation is. Not to make repetitions, I will just reiterate the appeal here: let's try to see in radicalization a process that begins the very moment we give up talking to and seeking agreement or compromise with people who think differently and with different values than ours. The conviction that beliefs are wrong automatically leads us to consider that those who proclaim them are stupid, irrational, and "steeped" in ideology. It is pretty symptomatic, by the way, that the "ideology" is adhered to by others while we have "views". In the next step, we begin to hate people who think differently from us, fantasize that they should be deprived of certain rights, or perhaps the system itself should be organized differently to protect us from them. Thus, in Poland anno domini 2023 (I refer to a study we conducted last year as part of the "Faces of Polish Radicalization" survey), 13% of people with higher and secondary education wished death on a person they know. And 41% of people shared the opinion that democratic elections lead to people who are incompetent and unprepared to govern us.
The causes of radicalization can be traced to several factors that overlap and influence each other. These include social and economic inequality, lack of trust in institutions, identity crisis, and the revolution that has taken place in the media world with the development of the Internet and social media. Today's world is changing much faster than ever before. From everywhere, we are bombarded with negative, highly emotionally tinged information about what is happening in Poland and the world. According to our survey, 77 percent of Poles and Poles with at least a high school education believe Poland is heading in the wrong direction, regardless of worldview. Most fear the same things - poverty and the consequences of crises - energy, economics, and climate. They worry about their own and their family's future.
To alleviate this uncertainty, instability and insecurity, many people seek solace in simplistic visions of the world that offer a coherent and compelling narrative. This gives fodder to all sorts of conspiracy theories and disinformation news, as long as the latter fits into the vision of the world shared by the individual.
Disinformation promotes processes of social radicalization in at least three ways:
1. Disinformation undermines trust in media and institutions:
Disinformation weakens public trust in traditional media, state institutions, and expert sources of information. In the interviews we conducted last year, there was a strong sense related to the difficulty of discerning the truth in a sea of information and messages. Media, struggling to capture audience attention, increasingly focus on sensationalism and heightening emotions, which, in the long term, leads to a loss of trust among their audience. As I wrote in a previous article, nearly 8 out of 10 people with secondary and higher education believe that the media in Poland are biased and politically driven, and 7 out of 10 think that the media exacerbate conflicts between people. More than half even believe that the media in Poland lie.
As our interviewees said:
"Certainly, globalization has made it harder to find sources of truth. The Internet, for sure, because any nonsense can be posted there, and there will be people who believe it; there are sponsored posts that get attention."
"I don't know myself. Some say one thing, others say something else. WP says one thing, Onet says another, and the news becomes a terrible mess. It's hard to pick out what the truth is. I watch these media, but the news annoys me."
"Polish reality is such that you don't know what is news and what is fake news."
The crisis of trust in the media is leading to an increased tendency for people to seek alternative, often extremist, sources of information. An example is the growing popularity of social media websites or channels promoting conspiracy theories, political disinformation or radical ideologies. For instance, in recent years, we have seen an increase in the popularity of websites promoting conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the artificially induced pandemic theory or the 5G conspiracy theory, but also a lot of false information about behavior or privileges of people of Ukrainian nationality who came to Poland after the escalation of the war in their country of origin.
2. Disinformation creates grounds for hatred and discrimination:
Disinformation often uses rhetoric of hate, stereotypes and simplifications, leading to the demonization of other social, ethnic or religious groups. It can increase tensions between different social groups and create grounds for radicalization. It was evident in the statements of our interviewees - that the more radicalized were more likely to confine themselves to information bubbles, reinforcing their perception of the world and looking for "external enemies": other nationalities, LGBT+ people, voters of other parties.
"The situation with Ukrainians in Poland moves me. They released a lot of people from prisons in Ukraine, and they escaped to us, making it dangerous here. There are incredible thefts of cars and homes. Sometimes they steal fuel, take license plates. I'm not saying it's only Ukrainians. We have a lot of Asians; I'm not a racist, but our country has become one of many nations and religions. Poland used to be Christian, and now it's not. When I hear that streetlights will be turned off to save money, I worry about how it will be when someone needs to come home at night. I know we need to help people from Ukraine, but I would like understanding and respect from them. We have a lot of immigrants who want to live at our expense. The same goes for the Asians, and I no longer feel safe in my environment."
"I think someone is threatening my freedom of views—all those leftist, gay groups. I think these movements are intolerant and threaten my freedom and rights."
"She and my brother-in-law repeat it like a mantra. Like Jehovah's Witnesses. They say exactly the same thing in the same way. It's a matrix. Sometimes I look at videos on Facebook or Instagram, and there are still people who pray to them like they are the highest gods. They are brainwashed; they get some kind of voucher, a higher pension, 500+, and they fold their hands and pray to them like gods."
3. Disinformation hinders understanding and dialogue.
Consequently, disinformation misleads people about the real state of affairs, which can lead to a false belief in the existence of threats, hostilities or conspiracies. This increases anxiety and encourages people to adopt extreme views. With such attitudes toward reality, it is challenging to have dialogue and agreement. Social divisions (political, ethnic or cultural) are artificially stoked and exaggerated.
Tolerance for attitudes different from our own is decreasing. Thus, 6 in 10 Poles with secondary education would like to live in a country where everyone shares the same values, while only 2 in 10 would not want to live in such a country. Difference and diversity are not highly valued values for Poles.
Various strategies are used in the face of these tensions - some people break off contact with people who think differently. Others forcibly loosen them because they no longer know how to be close with people who do not share their worldview. Many homes have a growing list of "forbidden" topics that are not discussed. All this negatively affects relationships all the time but in a less destructive way than open conflicts and arguments at family tables. The whole range of relationship problems with people who think differently is shown by the following quotes from interviews we conducted:
"I know what views my friends have. I follow the principle that if someone has different views, I don't associate with them."
"Oh Jesus, we talk, but we try not to bring up such issues at the table, because we can go a month without talking afterwards. Fate has divided us so that parents are for PiS, sisters for Confederation, and another for Hołownia. When my brother-in-law starts, I tell him, 'Wituś, stop, or we will argue.' We have an agreement that we won't talk about politics tomorrow at my father's birthday."
"But I have a rule that I don't bring up touchy topics with old friends. Although it's pleasant to have friends with similar views, it's difficult to maintain a friendship while being careful not to provoke an absurd conversation."
"I still have friends from years ago, from childhood, with whom I have personal relationships. (...) The situation, unfortunately, is not cheerful. We tried to talk and persuade each other at first, but we lived in two incompatible bubbles. Social contacts have loosened. We call each other and wish well for one another, but we don't feel like meeting."
The statements quoted above do not inspire optimism. Still, it is worth remembering that although radicalization is a process that is taking place in many European countries, it does not mean that we have already completely lost the ability to communicate and talk.
Building connection
So, let's end this article with positive examples of how talking to people with different views can build relationships, make us reflect and develop new, more nuanced ways of perceiving reality:
"At work, we talk about shopping, like women do, and politics. Two of us are for PiS and two for PO. There are tensions. We discuss fervently, based on arguments. I like these conversations; we are cultured enough not to resort to insults. I can express myself; I can vent if I don't like something. Sometimes I get stubborn and go too far, but through the conversation, I conclude that the truth lies in the middle. I like that."
"I have a friend (with different views - author's note), we've known each other since childhood. In a larger group, we don't touch on such topics, but just the two of us, we sometimes talk. We discuss as if in a strategic game, pondering what each of us would do in a given situation. For example, with our differing views, how we would solve a difficult issue in the country, and everyone says what they would do. That's how our discussions go."
What also fills one with hope is that many people in Poland notice these divisions, are tired of them, feel that they serve no purpose, and even destroy interpersonal relations. About 7 out of 10 Poles and Polish women with secondary and higher education agree with the opinion that Poland is divided into two tribes and see the views as increasingly radical. So, it is worth looking for ways to transform the media and social space into a place where dialogue and agreement are possible. As is access to reliable, balanced information.
Author: Katarzyna Fereniec-Błońska - a researcher with over 13 years of experience designing and conducting social and marketing research for Kantar and the Paris office of Ipsos, where she led a global project combining qualitative and quantitative studies with machine learning. At Curiosity, she worked with NGOs, cultural institutions and startups. In her research work, she is interested in social change and the impact of technology on lifestyles.
Background illustration by: junce11
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