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
Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.
Update: McQuade, Barbara, "Attack From Within," 2024. New York Times best seller.
Instead of giving the Orange Ogre* headlines on trips to the southern border by his not-yet “Border Czar,” or trying to set policy on trade with irrational tariff threats on his social media before its his turn, perhaps real U.S. news organizations should focus on highlighting the real news that is happening right now. He’s not president yet so stop treating his every word and deed as if it were in some way presidential. His ability to play the U.S. media is already the stuff of Fascist lore.
Like, for example, the real, un-glorious and tedious work of helping to negotiate a cease fire between Israel and Hezbollah. An agreement that takes the Middle East a step back from the brink of a regional/world war and a step closer to a treaty between Israel and Hamas. An Israel-Hamas agreement would be another massive step toward bringing a small bit of stability back to the region as it stumbles towards tolerance and maybe if one dares to dream, peaceful co-existence between Israel and its neighbors.
Let’s not further compound one mistake by extending his term by two and a half additional months. Four years is already four years too long,.
On the cheerier side, as much as the election was one big monumental post Thanksgiving dinner fart, good things continue to happen in the world and it is important to not fall into the narrative that the U.S. is a hell hole in need of filling up with useless, harmful , and divisive idiocy.
A Glimmer of Sunshine
Bing image
To paraphrase legendary college basketball coach Jim Valvano, Each day you should find time for laughter, tears and thought. Valvano gave this inspiring 1993 speech as he was dying of cancer which included this message.
And, since we need unusually larger doses of good news these days, here is another glimpse of life’s beauty:
Here is today’s little glimmer of sunshine.
*With apologies to Shrek