Gratitude, Grieving, Graduation and Gratefulness

https://newslit.org/

Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 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

Graduation season is here and we have a graduate this year. Our grandson is graduating from high school. We have eagerly awaited this upcoming event with gratefulness and gratitude.

The joy of the season has been tempered a bit by the loss of my wife’s father and aunt last week. Those passings are to be grieved. Carl and Nancy made significant contributions to the world and they will be missed. Yet, their peaceful transitions are something to be grateful for and accepted with a spirit of gratitude. At 98 and 93, they had both lived long and productive lives and they were getting little joy at being confined to an aging, unresponsive and frail body.

At 18, Aydan’s healthy body and sharp mind are preparing for his next experience as a college student at the University of Oregon in the Fall. I am so proud of him. I am not his biological grandfather, but by virtue of marriage to his grandmother I became Grandpa Bruce. I couldn’t be happier than to have had the opportunity to watch this kid grow into a young man literally right before my eyes.

At 98, Carl was a veteran of WW 2. At 93, Nancy possessed her quick with and independent spirit until her last day. I’m glad that I had the opportunity to cross paths with both of them.

As Carl and Nancy leave and Aydan enters, I am humbled and grateful by their accomplishments and mine. The “Greatest Generation” as journalist Tom Brokaw called them, deserve a large amount of the credit for saving the world from the scourge of Fascism and white supremacy. Carl and Nancy both did their part to deliver us Baby Boomers into a world that was, for the most part, free from these autocratic, tyrannical forces.

Yet as Aydan moves on to take his place in the world, us Baby Boomers are now called upon to be the next Greatest Generation as we fight to hold onto and strengthen the democratic world that they fought and died to establish.

I accept the challenge proudly and hope to join them in that select group of heroes that placed democracy over self service.

Aydan and I salute you and give you our deepest thanks.

Godspeed and carry on.