# Wiki Tutorial
## Caz's commentary on
### [Agnotology and Epistemological Fragmentation](https://points.datasociety.net/agnotology-and-epistemological-fragmentation-56aa3c509c6b) by Danah Boyd
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Immediately reading the title of the article I had to google the meaning of the two words agnotology and epistemological.
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From what I found
**Agnotology** is the study of deliberate, culturally-induced ignorance or doubt, typically to sell a product or win favor, particularly through the publication of inaccurate or misleading scientific data.
**Epistemological** is relating to the theory of knowledge especially with regard to its methods, validity, and scope, and the distinction between justified belief and opinion
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With these two terms, I knew the article would **have** to be political in some sort of way.
Boyd in her piece points out how *"slowly, and systematically, a virus has spread, using technology to systematically tear at the social fabric of public life"* She believes, and I agree, there are vulnerabilities of both social media and news media. Those who are conservative or libertarian are well versed in gaining traction using buzzwords. This upper hand is what makes them the most popular to someone who is consuming fresh media. Most political commentators in this area usually speak the same, and bring up the same talking points. Someone who is able to unpack these videos is Hasan.

Hasan Piker, a political commentator on twitch *(who is also pictured in the gif above)*, talks a lot about this; He even says himself that he is well versed in how to behave like a hog and in "hog talking points". The perfect video to understand this in a more entertaining way is his video [Who is The Hasanabi Head?? (Odd Ones Out Jubilee React)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpOgXpPaJlU&t=334s).

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OpOgXpPaJlU" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

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Boyd's point in how easy it is to become radicalized with a simple youtube search is true. I was unaware as to how specific terms are used to achieve epistemological fragmentation. I know that since the media I consume is left leaning so the media that is promoted to me or pop up will be left leaning as well; But the idea of a student researching a terms like social justice and immediately consuming conservative takes on the subject bogles my mind. Although when something big happens in the political world, the fastest person to cover the subject does have an upper hand. Boyd points out that it is basically first come first serve and then to push the term to the news media at the right time.

When I watch HasanAbi he watches conservative media with his viewers. He watches and critiques like Steven Crowder, and Ben Sharpiro. These other right leaning political commentators are very quick to post it seems. When speaking about their point they always point out the opposite side / angle and make sure to tell the person who is watching, "this is what they'll tell you" and "this is what they want you to think". A way to see this slightly is through this hasan video, [DARK BRANDON HAS ARRIVED.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSH-tLXtCT4)

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pSH-tLXtCT4" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

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It is worrying how easy it is to consume this media. One of my other youtubers I watch is H3H3. H3 or Ethan Klein is a podcaster now but formally a commentator of random videos online. During his commentary period he was not necessarily political in his videos but his videos gained traction and his audience became those who were right leaning. It is not hard to bring these types of thinkers together, it's like attracting mosiqitos to a electric light. But im unsure how Boyd's idea of actively blanketing the information ecosystem with the information people will need to make an informed decision will work and how long it would take to master that in all social media and regular media.

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## class activity | 09/13