Constructed Intelligence and Induced Emotion — The Structure of “Plausibility” in the Age of Social Media

A certain post on social media caught my attention. It contained a string of comments about Americans, Chinese, Filipinos—and even ordinary Japanese people, that were strikingly one-sided and, in some cases, could be considered outright derogatory. And yet, this wasn’t an anonymous, irresponsible rant. The author was a physician of advanced age, and his words were presented as “lived experience” drawn from the reality of his daily practice.

But what concerned me wasn’t the post itself.
The real issue lies in the kind of discourse that elicits such emotional reactions. Beneath the surface, we find a steady stream of “expert commentary” on social media—written in a semi-specialized tone by university professors, economists, and PhD holders. That, ultimately, is the foundation of such discourse.

One such economist wrote that “Japanese government bonds are in collapse,” and that “our economy is addicted to a string of forbidden measures.” While his article contained data and policy analysis, it was ultimately not a structural analysis. Rather, it was carefully crafted as a moral storyline, designed to lead the reader toward a sense of inevitable judgment.

This kind of rhetoric teases out latent anxieties in the reader, evoking a familiar sense of resignation—“I knew it.” The result is a cascade of comments from readers who, influenced by such perspectives, link these ideas to their own field-level experiences and begin to voice disdain for foreign societies or social groups.

“Even if factories are built in the U.S., workers won’t show up, they’d rather work at McDonald’s. Maybe it’s the people themselves who are broken.”
“It’s like the end of the Qing Dynasty, when people were addicted to opium. Obese, mindless, short-lived, that’s what it’s become.”
“The Chinese and Filipino people who snuck into Japan. They’re actually amazing.”

These statements may have been half in jest or intended as social critique. But regardless of intention, the language clearly embeds labeling and latent contempt toward certain groups and nationalities.

And these are not comments made on some lawless forum or drunken barroom rant. These are posts made under real names, in spaces where the authors carry social trust as professionals. What might once have been casual “veranda talk” now spreads with the traction of legitimate public opinion.

So how did this happen?

■ The Structural Properties of SNS: Anonymous vs Real-Name Spaces

In the physician’s Facebook group I mentioned, a few long-standing members, scholars of modern German history and linguistics among them, seem to function as a quiet moderating presence. As a result, more extreme remarks don’t attract many “likes” and often fade into the background.

But the real problem lies elsewhere.
Highly influential accounts, those with tens of thousands of followers, are posting emotionally provocative commentary on a daily basis. Though these posts may appear sober and fact-based, quoting statistics and invoking policy frameworks, they are in fact designed to anticipate emotional resonance and offer a ready-made storyline of “social understanding.”

Those who read and absorb these constructed stories then echo and reinforce them through the lens of their own daily experience, lending further credibility. In this chain reaction, genuine structural explanations disappear, and the emotional strength of a constructed story is mistaken for truth itself.

■ How Should We Approach Constructed Stories?

The real question isn’t who is right, but rather:
What kind of rhetorical structure is being used, and what emotions does it generate?

Stories are not neutral.
They function as emotional triggers, as mechanisms of perception, and sometimes even as smoke screens that obscure judgment.

And—
I, too, have been one of those who let such expert stories pass by without comment.
Maybe we don’t always need to jump to respond or argue back. But when such “plausible” language spreads so easily, I can’t help but feel that something essential is being quietly left behind.