Calling Bullshit – Carl Bergstrom and Jevin West

“The rise of misinformation and disinformation keeps us up at night. No law or fancy new AI is going to solve the problem. We all have to be a little more vigilant, a little more thoughtful, a little more careful when sharing information—and every once in a while, we need to call bullshit when we see it.”

“New-school bullshit can be particularly effective because many of us don’t feel qualified to challenge information that is presented in quantitative form. That is exactly what new-school bullshitters are counting on. To fight back, one must learn when and how to question such statements.”

“Rather, the really big cover-ups take place out in the open, as climate denial does. The smoking gun is there for everyone to see; the cover-up is providing people with alternative reasons to believe it might be smoking.”