Peaceful

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

I awoke this morning feeling at peace. A place of relaxed and focused calm. I am happy to write from that place this morning. I am free from outside thoughts that would interfere with this time of bliss.

I didn’t do anything special this morning. I stayed up until about midnight last night and had a late night snack. Going to bed on a late night snack is not usually the recipe for a restful sleep or a peaceful mind.

So as I continue in this place this morning, I wish to share it in the hope that you and me will be able to find this place on a more regular and frequent basis. Wherever that place might be for you, go there. Enjoy your time there and when that space is past, embrace it. Nothing lasts forever. It will return. Distracting thoughts will return. Dismiss them as you will. Acknowledge them and let them go. Nothing lasts forever.

You in your precious existence are at peace. Peace is always near to us. Take the rare moments of each day to find it, acknowledge it, revel in it and let it go when it is ready to go. It will return in its fullness.

Some, just enough, of that peace will remain with you through the business of your day. It is always there. Seek it out in your own special way. Let it wash over you and allow you to use it in amongst the daily distraction that is life.

Let it go…let it go.