This isn’t a political blog, and it’s rare you’ll find a politics-related post here. But recently a brief convo on this very subject once again underscored (for me!) the incredible influence of what we see, hear, and read on people’s attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.
Information is power. And it’s up to each of us to do personal due diligence when determining the accuracy and truth of any and everything. In today’s technology-driven world of social media, we’ve become somewhat complacent and indifferent. It’s far too easy to think a meme on Facebook is a stone-cold fact. Think again. In many – if not most – instances, those memes or “facts” being touted on Facebook and elsewhere are propaganda at best.
Now back to my friend. Let’s call her Sandy to protect the innocent. We were talking about an upcoming debate between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. Sandy, bless her, says, “I just don’t trust that Hillary.”
Me: “Why?”
Sandy: “You know, those emails.”
Me: “Emails? What emails are you referencing?”
Sandy: “They were about Ben-something, I think.”
Sadly, many of us have become increasingly tolerant – gullible if you will – of substituting misconstrued information for absolute truth. Everyone is susceptible. This is an election year. We are blessed to live in a country where every voice matters. When it comes to something as important as electing the next future leader of the United States, it behooves us to truly understand what the candidates think, feel, and believe. That means expanding our circles of influence to include objective, unbiased information and credible sources on the issues at hand. After all, when one ultimately casts his or her vote in November, the deciding factor really should entail a bit more than a news byte or “information” discerned from those provocative Facebook memes, right?
Come on, Sandy – it’s time to do your homework.
