Breaking Through

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

It’s been over a year now that I have led my posts on Singing Cyclist Musings with the above summary of how to deal with disinformation. The story, “Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation,” Alexandra Witze presents five strategies for dealing with “bad” information.

So, let’s start with the word bad. My idea of “bad” might not be your idea of “bad.” Who gets to decide? Ultimately it is us, the individuals who get to make that decision. In an idyllic world where Democracy is the chosen political system, this would be the end of the story. Case closed, that’s all folks, let’s move on and that’s that.

There are primarily two reasons why the individual is not the gate keeper of good and bad. One is education. The best way to maintain a democratic system of government is by maintaining an educated and discerning population of people by offering free public education at all levels to teach us all how to think and not what to think. With the individual brain trained to identify bear scat from bullshit, misinformation/disinformation will fall on deaf ears.

Two happens when we have one. The individuals, TV networks, YouTube channels, Twitter feeds, email distribution lists and what all will not be able to spread their bullshit because there simply is no audience for it. By educating our fellow citizens, we don’t need number two.

So, there is one and only one way to determine good from bad, true from false and if I may be so bold, right from wrong. Get informed.

We don’t have time to wait for free public education for all, so you personally can start by looking at the five points in the first box up yonder. All five are important, but I suggest that the second point is the one to start with.

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

My wife and I were visiting with a friend while on an evening walk. Another neighbor was visiting along with her dog. The conversation was cordial and polite and remained so as the dog enjoyed her treats when the conversation went to why she and her family were moving to Texas. She said that they were moving to a state that was more supportive of parents rights and where the schools didn’t “sexualize” students.

My wife and I are both retired California public school teachers. Neither of us flinched or changed expression as my wife asked the follow-up question that led to the response.

It wasn’t the time or place to engage in a deeper conversation. But one thing that I noticed in my own mind as this interaction was happening and in its aftermath, was an instant and thankfully fleeting feeling of defensiveness followed by a feeling of wanting to share a different perspective on teaching. We did share that we were teachers and the conversation seamlessly went on to a different topic.

Once she left, we had a brief conversation with our friend and shared how unfortunate it is that this conversation will not be completed because a decision was made to go to your silo and not engage in the further conversation that might have some influence on your feelings about public school and teachers.

My long winded point is that we did not stigmatize this person for her beliefs. The training that I got from Mom and Dad reinforced by my education kicked in. This is so important in helping us “get to 100.”

Change can and will happen in this country when we listen to each other without judgement. Which is why I’ll end this with a song. Headphones or earbuds will dramatically improve your listening experience. It’s also ok without them.