3. I believe that it is the responsibility of each individual being to think and act in the best interest of each other being, human or otherwise.

https://newslit.org/

Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception:  How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation."  In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information.  They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).

How to Debunk:

1.  Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.

2.  Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs.  Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.

3.  Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp.  Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.

4.  When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.

5.  Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.

"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.  

"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."

"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."

Sander van der Linden
Social Psychologist
University of Cambridge

Source:  Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021

This belief is proving to be surprisingly nuanced in my attempt to rationally defend it in a persuasive way. I’m wrestling with the idea of “best interest.” Who gets to decide what the best interest is?

"In egocentrism, you're unable to see someone else's point of view; but in narcissism, you may see that view but not care about it. Going even one step further, people high in narcissism become annoyed or even enraged when others fail to see things their way."  

Source:  Apr 7, 2012/Psychology Today.

It’s not enough to label someone as simple selfless or selfish. Someone who is egocentric can also exhibit qualities of empathy when given the opportunity. One the other hand, a narcissist knows full well what they are doing and continue to do it anyway. According to the Cleveland Clinic about 5% of all people have what is known as Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD).

By the Cleveland Clinic’s numbers, 95% of us are capable of at least some degree of empathic behavior. The main question then is , if we are capable of thinking of others, is it a good thing to be good to each other?

"However, recent studies show that caring for others is good for us. It's beneficial to our well-being. Giving support to others out of choice leads to “reduced stress, increased happiness, and an increased sense of social connectedness.”  Jan 21, 2019/World Economic Forum Agenda.

Since choosing giving to others leads to “reduced stress, increased happiness and an increased sense of social connectedness,” I conclude that acting in the best interest of each other is a valid and supportable belief. Furthermore, we should all do it and be quick to point it out when they see anything short of it happening in their own lives.