QAA Podcast The Case of the Cottingley Fairies (Premium E327) Sample
Mar 15, 2026
A romp through the Cottingley Fairies hoax and why people wanted to believe in it. Playful digs at childhood lore, fairy tales, and ruined skirts in creeks. A heated detour into AI-made media and whether viral clips and online campaigns can be trusted. Connections drawn between WWI-era spiritualism and today’s digital deception.
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Stress Drives Fantastical Belief
- In times of high stress people seek fantastical explanations and comforting confirmation of beliefs.
- Jake Rockatansky and Julian Feeld tie this to historical spiritualism like the Fox sisters and WWI Britain’s Cottingley Fairies phenomenon.
Family Shares Emotional AI Clips
- A relative sent Jake a compilation of 'toddler in peril' clips that looked emotional but were unmistakably AI.
- The sender apologized when told, while other relatives defended the clips as plausible or harmless.
People Rationalize AI Fakes As Emotional Truths
- AI-generated media is increasingly indistinguishable and elicits defensive reactions from relatives who prefer the comforting 'essence' of a clip.
- Jake Rockatansky notes people will excuse AI clips as 'cute' or 'true' even when convinced they're synthetic.