The Proliferation of `Conceptual Facades': Cognitive Downgrading and Structural Distortion in Short-Video Knowledge Dissemination

Abstract

As short video platforms become a primary channel for public knowledge acquisition, the dissemination form of knowledge is undergoing a profound ontological transformation. This paper introduces the core analytical tool of ‘Conceptual Facade’ for the first time, constructing a three-tier analytical framework of ‘media form–symbolic translation–cognitive reshaping’ to systematically reveal how short video media strips away the logical structure of knowledge, leading to cognitive degradation and structural distortion. The study finds that within the narrative logic of short videos, complete logical deductions are omitted, complex contextual frameworks are stripped away, and rational argumentation is replaced by emotional stimulation. Knowledge is no longer a rigorous logical system but degenerates into individual ‘conceptual facades’ solely for display and consumption. The proliferation of such ‘conceptual facades’ not only creates the illusion of fragmented learning but also breeds audience metacognitive inertia and the loss of critical reflection capabilities. To address this profound cognitive crisis, this paper proposes exploring reconstruction paths for knowledge dissemination in the short video era from three dimensions: upgrading media literacy, introducing cognitive friction into algorithms, and awakening creators’ structured narratives.