In an era where falsehoods spread faster than facts and misinformation can shape public opinion overnight, the disparity between the effort it takes to disseminate versus debunk information is stark and troubling. This imbalance is aptly captured in two modern aphorisms: Sagan’s Razor and Brandolini’s Law. Together, they illustrate an ironic and frustrating truth about the modern information age. While critical thinking demands rigor and restraint, misinformation requires neither.
Sagan’s Razor: The Burden of Proof
Carl Sagan, the late astrophysicist and science communicator, famously stated, “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” This principle, sometimes referred to as Sagan’s Razor, reminds us that the more implausible a claim is, the more robust and compelling the supporting evidence must be. It’s a safeguard against gullibility and pseudoscience. Rooted in rationalism, this razor embodies a methodical and skeptical approach to knowledge.
But here lies the irony: while Sagan’s principle is intended to uphold intellectual integrity, it often results in a handicap in the public discourse. Scientists, skeptics, and intellectually honest individuals are expected to meet high standards of proof and exhaust resources to rigorously disprove absurdities. Meanwhile, bad actors, often activists, media, or politicians, can toss out baseless claims without consequence and they often stick.
Brandolini’s Law: The Asymmetry of Debunking
Enter Brandolini’s Law, also known as the BS Asymmetry Principle: “The amount of energy needed to refute BS is an order of magnitude larger than to produce it.” Coined by Italian programmer Alberto Brandolini in 2013, this aphorism describes a modern reality that Sagan did not live to see fully unfold: the social media, pseudo-media, fake news, and activist driven avalanche of misinformation.
Whether it’s a conspiracy theory disseminating misinformation about a new law, or a deep fake image of a person in a compromising position, the time and effort it takes to generate such claims are minimal. But discrediting them requires painstaking analysis, access to data, credentials, and a public willing to engage. Most of the time, by the time the rebuttal emerges, the damage is already done.
As a legislator, I experience this concept on a constant basis. Whether it is a media outlet expressing an exaggerated or incorrect event that occurred behind closed doors or a constituent expressing a view in stark contrast to reality because they encountered it from a spurious source, I am often called upon to defend or debunk the misinformation. More often than not, the asymmetrical effort to debunk on my part can be minimal as there are plenty of rational individuals who readily come to understand that their original source was misleading them. Unfortunately, there are still plenty of individuals in which bias or emotions are such that the asymmetry cannot be overcome.
Historical Observation: Lies Around the World
The roots of this idea stretch back centuries. A version of the phrase “A lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth gets its boots on” is often attributed to Mark Twain, though similar sentiments predate him. As early as the 1700’s, Jonathan Swift opined, “Falsehood flies, and the truth comes limping after it.” The technological means may have changed from newspapers to social media, but the velocity of lies has always outpaced truth.
Today, this observation about the speed of falsehood has evolved into an entire industry of misinformation grifters. These are individuals or groups, ranging from political operatives to social media influencers, who capitalize on the viral power of lies for fame, profit, or power. In politics, grifters often exploit outrage to raise money, gain followers, or manipulate public opinion. They may knowingly spread baseless claims, not because they believe them, but because outrage is monetizable. The more inflammatory or emotionally charged the message, the more clicks, shares, and donations it generates.
On social media platforms, the problem is compounded by algorithmic incentives that reward engagement over accuracy. Influencers can quickly amass large audiences by posting sensational or misleading content. Unlike traditional journalists of the past who faced editorial and sourcing standards, misinformation influencers face little accountability. Many of them build personal brands as “truth-tellers” or “whistleblowers,” leveraging distrust of institutions to position themselves as insiders with secret knowledge. In reality, they are often performers profiting from confusion and emotional manipulation. By the time their claims are debunked, they've already gained followers, sold merchandise, or launched a podcast.
Protection and Perspectives
Unfortunately, combating the gap between Sagan’s Razor and Brandolini’s Law isn’t simple and depending on one’s situation, one may need to defend against misinformation both as a consumer and as the subject of the BS. As a constant consumer of information and as an elected official, I have found myself a victim of Brandolini’s Law on more than one occasion.
When I first ran for office back in 2014, I began campaigning the day after Thanksgiving in 2013 by going door to door to speak to potential constituents. Over the next six or seven months, I personally knocked on thousands of doors and revisited households three or four times. It was apparent that my efforts had placed me in a solid position to win the race.
As is the nature of politics, I became a victim of negative campaigning when several outlandish claims were made about my political positions. I had to quickly and clearly refute the falsehoods, but because of my previous efforts in my campaign, the use of Brandolini’s Law against me had minimal impact. I had built my ethos and my brand to the point that almost everyone knew the claims were nonsense.
Since that original election, I have continued to uphold my principles and have provided a consistent and rational voting record. Having won awards like Legislator of the Year and being named a Taxpayer Hero should enhance one’s ethos in order to defend against falsehoods, but the impacts of Brandolini’s Law are quite influential requiring constant efforts to monitor.
During the covid era, I became the subject of a blog article relating to personal health care decisions and a bill. As I read the article, it was readily apparent that the intent was to entice online clicks and the information was almost 180 degrees opposite of reality. Yet, despite building a solid track record and reputation, I still had a few inquiries from acquaintances wondering if the article was true. A simple response from me was all it took to refute the false story, but if fake news can influence people who should know better, then what about those who are more vulnerable to misinformation?
Being both a victim as an elected official and as a constant consumer of traditional and social media, I have become quite a skeptic of what is being presented online, in print, or from a speaker. I tend to look at every story or article with a critical eye knowing that there is likely an agenda or more to the story. I have found reputable sources and authors that I follow online while discounting and discarding purveyors of Brandolini’s Law. And when sharing an article or information online, I usually highlight a paragraph that seems to pass the test of scrutiny.
Conclusion: What You Can Do
Still, not everyone can knock on thousands of doors, call the sources directly, nor sift through articles searching for truth. While it may be difficult to apply the Socrates “Triple Filter Test” of truthfulness, kindness, and usefulness to all information we encounter or disseminate, we can all consume our information with a critical or skeptical eye while raising our self-awareness as to what information we choose to share online. For in the end, misinformation needs only a voice to survive, but it takes a mind to make it die.
Terry’s Take is a personal and professional opinion publication from Bryan Terry, MD and paid for by Bryan Terry for State Representative, Cheryl Terry Treasurer. Hope you enjoy the content.