Not having all the facts (knowing if the information you are reading is true) is one of the core reasons I find political debate with others totally useless.
As for "masturbatorifying content", a fantastic term.
You also hit on another great topic that could be a separate post entirely... appealing to our ids with the "you MIGHT be special" mechanic. Very very true, and something that appeals to me just as much as the next guy.
"As for 'masturbatorifying content', a fantastic term."
Yeah, I've thought of writing a blog post on this. The basic idea is that you give a voice to things that people already want to believe are true. This opens up a sort of window of credulity, which allows you to sell whatever you're trying to sell in the context of this unconscious angst that you're channeling. The best is if you can find some sort of belief that millions of people share but that no one has ever articulated or properly defended, that's how you make millions of dollars whether you're running a startup, writing a book, etc.
You should read, watch and listen to Hitler's speeches. He told the German people they were different, special and they had a destiny. That it would be wrong (all of the metaphysicals) to not fulfill that destiny. That they were a perfect beautiful people and he could see that it was so by being an imperfect non-full blooded aryan looking in on what their true potential could be.
As for "masturbatorifying content", a fantastic term.
You also hit on another great topic that could be a separate post entirely... appealing to our ids with the "you MIGHT be special" mechanic. Very very true, and something that appeals to me just as much as the next guy.