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Citations & Our Media Diet

Symthink treats evidence as a first-class part of civic reasoning.

When people attach citations to claims in their trees — and then publish those claims through their Vision branch — Symthink can show not only what people think, but also what sources they rely on.

What citations are for

Citations help readers:

  • evaluate whether claims are grounded,
  • follow your reasoning back to sources,
  • and understand the information environment shaping a platform.

For leaders, citations are also a commitment: "Here's what I'm basing this on."

On My Vision, attach sources while editing a node (Add Source). See tree.md for tree basics.

Our Media Diet (regional source insights)

When many people in a civic area publish platforms with citations, Symthink aggregates:

  • which publishers/outlets are most cited,
  • how concentrated vs. diverse the source ecosystem is,
  • and how source reliance shifts over time as civic conversations change.

How to open it: Civic Ladder → pick a level → Thinkers tab → tap the Sources chip. The panel title is Our Media Diet.

The goal isn't "fact checking by authority." It's community transparency: a mirror that helps a region inspect its informational diet.

Why this matters

Healthy civic reasoning depends on shared reality.

By making citation patterns legible, Symthink supports:

  • epistemic accountability (sources are visible),
  • better disagreement (argue about evidence, not just vibes),
  • and community reflection (what are we collectively consuming and trusting?).