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there is no evidence for this. Achen and Bartels in Democracy for Realists[1] go through a lot of research that shows that education does not aid in combating disinformation and may in fact make the situation worse.

One notable example is climate change. Among Republicans in the US belief in climate change actually declines with increasing education.[2]. Higher education or reasoning facilities don't stop misinformation because misinformation isn't the result of a literal lack of information, it's a rationalisation strategy of adopting fact to preconceived beliefs, and if anything highly educated or capable people are more likely to be able to justify their assumptions.

This even literally shows up in the QAnon slogan which is "question everything". Conspiracy theorists virtually never lack the ability to critically think, if anything they think too critically.

[1]https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691169446/de...

[2]https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/11/14/upshot/climat...




I think it's more that "question everything" mainly becomes "question everything that doesn't line up directly with my beliefs". And then you also get a feeling of superiority, of having secret knowledge/understanding, when the things that you are questioning are widely held to be true.




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