Lee McIntyre

Gigi would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! She will be turning 16 (yes I know, we can't believe it either) in a few weeks. We rescued her at 11 and she has been the perfect dog. She spent 10 years as a breeder, with all the scars from neglect/abuse. Now look. Love heals.

We’ll stop worrying and learn to love the misinformation bomb "You have to show what is right, believable, relevant, and positive. You have to be as authentic, accessible, and aware as that guy from the alt-right."

I really like this short, hopeful piece on what we can do in the year ahead to fight misinformation. Happy Christmas and New Year everyone! www.niemanlab.org/2025/12/well...

Wanted to share today's good news that I was just elected a Life Member of Clare Hall, University of Cambridge!

Thank you so much! Your cat is adorable. I’m glad you are enjoying the book.

My Dad, Frank McIntyre, Antifa 1945. Thanks and Happy Veterans Day to all who served.

Opinion | Are We Losing Our Democracy? Donald Trump has wielded power as no previous president has.

Seven years ago I published a book called POST-TRUTH. Today's NYT makes clear just how far down the authoritarian road we've now traveled. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Hector's birthday today. My big beautiful boy. He would've been 17 today. I still miss him every day.

Pope urges news agencies to stand as bulwark against lies, manipulation and post-truths Pope Leo XIV has encouraged international news agencies to stand firm as a bulwark against the “ancient art of lying” and manipulation.

THIS is how to be an ally for truth. Lovely to see Pope Leo taking such a clear stand against post-truth, picking up where Pope Francis left off. And he quotes Hannah Arendt! Bravo!

Opinion | Is it America’s fate to decline and fall? Here’s what history says. The American experiment will soon turn 250. Is its time running out?

Late in life my working man father got interested in why Rome fell. He loved the USA. Got his GED. Fought in World War 2. Believed in immigration as part of the American dream. Voted in every election. Hated bullies. I wish I could've shared this article with him. It's a good one.

YouTube video by More Perfect Union I Took Bernie Into Deep Trump Country. Can He Win Them Over?

An amazing video that demonstrates once again the power of face to face conversation.

OpenAI’s Sora Makes Disinformation Extremely Easy and Extremely Real

Another article specifically about disinformation.

OpenAI’s New Video App Is Jaw-Dropping (for Better and Worse)

Brace yourselves. Sora will do for video what ChatGPT has done for text. The possibilities for video-based disinformation are now convenient and endless.

You want chocolate. You need flavanols. — Harvard Gazette Research strengthens evidence for role of inflammation in disease – especially as we age.

Finally some good news!!

Donald Trump says he is deploying troops to Portland, Oregon Apparently misled by hyperbolic reporting from conservative outlets on a single small protest, president described peaceful city as ‘war ravaged’

Trump didn't get what he wanted when he deployed troops to DC, so now he has targeted Portland. Things are peaceful here! Trump is trying to provoke a reaction so he can use it as an excuse to declare martial law. This is not a mistake; it's part of his overall plan.

Lower Than Cowards The surrender of America’s elites

Bravo Adam Serwer! "I want to distinguish between chickenshit and cowardice. Fear is part of human existence. Bravery is the overcoming of fear, not its absence. Acts of cowardice can be provoked by genuine danger...When you're chickenshit, you capitulate to avoid the mere possibility of discomfort"

Hegseth orders rare, urgent meeting of hundreds of generals, admirals The Pentagon has summoned military officials from around the world for a gathering in Virginia. Top generals and their staffs don’t know the reason for the meeting.

Trump is consolidating power at an alarming clip. Soon he will exploit (or create) some crisis to declare martial law. Maybe this meeting is where he'll ask all of his generals and admirals to sign a loyalty pledge to him...or be fired. If so, this isn't the road to fascism. This is fascism!

How do you talk to people who disagree with you about Science? We talk to the man who wrote the book on it.

I'm so proud to share my conversation with Dr. Seema Yasmin on her outstanding podcast OUR BIG SHOT. Timely stuff here as the next wave of Covid now falls upon us.

MIT Reads: On Disinformation and Democracy with Lee McIntyre

Proud to announce that ON DISINFORMATION was chosen as the MIT Libraries "MIT Reads" fall selection. If you're in town, please come hear me talk about it live and in person on October 8th at the Hayden Library (1st floor) at 2 p.m. on the MIT campus. calendar.mit.edu/event/on-dis...

Greenland: Denmark summons top US diplomat over alleged influence operation The aim was reportedly to infiltrate Greenland's society and promote its secession from Denmark.

So it looks like the USA was just caught in a covert influence operation in Greenland. This involved all the tools of information warfare including disinformation. Beware that this is the Russian "hybrid" model: it starts with weaponized information as a prelude to possible kinetic action later.

Studying philosophy does make people better thinkers, according to new research on more than 600,000 college grads Philosophers are fond of saying that their field boosts critical thinking. Two of them decided to put that claim to the test.

Some goods news for a change today. At least for philosophers. How rare is that?!

Where I grew up!!

Three prominent Yale professors depart for Canadian university, citing Trump fears History department power couple Timothy Snyder and Marci Shore and philosophy professor Jason Stanley will begin teaching at the University of Toronto’s renowned Munk School in fall 2025.

This one hits close to home. Both Jason Stanley and Tim Snyder are friends of mine. And I think that when three prominent scholars of fascism, tyranny, disinformation, and propaganda all leave for Canada at the same time, it's worth taking note.

Next up, I predict a round of "Whataboutism" regarding Hillary's emails. Not kidding.

(5) Our national security has never been stronger. #ondisinformation

Trump Goes After the Messenger The president is privately upset with the sloppiness of his advisers. Publicly, he’s focused on attacking the press.

Classic demonstration of a Russian disinformation technique called the "firehose of falsehood." Trump doesn't like reality so he says: (1) We did nothing wrong. (2) The information wasn’t classified. (3)The guy who got it is a sleaze bag. (4) The magazine he published it in is weak and failing.

I'm honored to have been mentioned and quoted on Dr. Francis Collins's interview on Robin Young's NPR program "Here and Now," discussing the recent MIT conference on how to build trust in science. www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2...

One Word Describes Trump A century ago, a German sociologist explained precisely how the president thinks about the world.

Outstanding article by my friend Jonathan Rauch. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

Wow! I'm honored you found my book.

The Chauncey DeVega Show: Ep. 425: The American People Are Being Targeted and Manipulated By a Disinformation and Propaganda War Lee McIntyre is a Research Fellow at the Center for Philosophy and History of Science at Boston University and a Senior Advisor for Public Trust in Science at the Aspen Institute. He is the author of...

So proud to appear on the Chauncey DeVega podcast...thank you for the great conversation! thechaunceydevegashow.libsyn.com/ep-425-the-a...

Thanks so much to Jasmine Green at the Washington Post for this recent interview. www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...