“New research suggests that misinformed people rarely change their minds when presented with the facts — and often become even more attached to their beliefs. The finding raises questions about a key principle of a strong democracy: that a well-informed electorate is best.”
No, it does not call into question whether a well-informed electorate is best. it drives it home, thoroughly.
those who believe it logical to conclude, from the above-referenced research, that leaders should, instead, misinform people, giving them memes that will support their delusion, have departed down a slippery slope that undermines democracy and freedom.
what is the veracity of the research, anyway?
i would ask Nyhan and Reifler how sophisticated were the test groups? ordinary, relatively uneducated people?
did they test uninformed and random populations against control groups who have been trained to think critically and question their assumptions?
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