I had an exchange with someone I've been close to for over 20 years that showed me how unreliable what "everybody says" can be.
Not that I wasn't already aware, I am just astounded by how many people fall for it. And in some cases, by who falls for it.
She lives in Florida. She was saying she's thought about getting a gun. I was making a few suggestions and she mentioned that in Florida she could just walk into a gun store and walk out with whatever she wants, "no questions asked".
I said that's not how it works; the fedboys still force stores to do background checks. She said, "Not in Florida... they just changed the gun laws... no background checks". I said she'd discover that isn't true if she tries to buy one. She didn't believe me, because "everybody says" differently.
Then she went on an anti-Florida rant, saying it is now the worst place in the country, "a s#!tshow", because the governor is a "pig" who has "literally made it illegal for trans people to exist". I said she should know that's not actually true.
But she really believes these things because it's what "everybody says".
She knows me well enough that she ought to know I've never lied to her and never would. But, when "everybody says" something enough, I guess it's hard to accept that "everybody" is mistaken or lying.
She knows I oppose all laws and all politicians. I'd prefer politicians be criticized based on fact, not on what "everybody says". I suggested there are good reasons to dislike politicians and it's not necessary to make up things to dislike them for, but that's what is happening in this case. Again, she doesn't believe me because of what she's hearing from "everybody".
She doesn't watch the news, but like most of us, I'm sure she is exposed to its narrative second-hand. She uses "social media", but I'm not sure which ones. She talks with her cow-orkers at the Disney-area convenience store where she works. But mostly she interacts with the public. She believes these things because they are the things "everybody says". "Everybody says" these things because that's what someone has been brainwashing them to believe. She's not going to look into the truth to see that "everybody" is mistaken or lying.
At least she doesn't v*te.
Thank you!