Yes, the only explanation for why people endorse political hyperbole is that they know its misinformation and they're doing so for the symbolic power of believing a falsehood.
Or, ya know, maybe a rise in the lethality of crime in a society already one of the most profoundly violent in the world has too little hyperbole associated with it.
But when Greta Thunbery uses hyperbole that's politcal rallying to a cause and colition building for a serious threat. But when trump mobilizes resources for police funding in cities with absurd levels of violence, now anyone who endorses this must be really an authoritarian dupe who delights in being mislead.
It's naive to think people interpret the claims literally. Their political interpretation doesn't change if Trump had instead said, "the crime levels are serious and urgent"
Emotional valence is communicated at a literal level in hyperbole. "You're the best mum in the world" isnt misinformation
> "You're the best mum in the world" isnt misinformation
To use the original article's language, the sentence "you're the best mum in the world" and "you're an exemplary mother because you take care of your children's emotional and material needs" are symbolically equivalent, even though the former is clearly a hyperbole.
Or, ya know, maybe a rise in the lethality of crime in a society already one of the most profoundly violent in the world has too little hyperbole associated with it.
But when Greta Thunbery uses hyperbole that's politcal rallying to a cause and colition building for a serious threat. But when trump mobilizes resources for police funding in cities with absurd levels of violence, now anyone who endorses this must be really an authoritarian dupe who delights in being mislead.