Keep Hope but Get Real

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.

I just got back from another experience brought to me by the fruits of privilege and along the way I read a bit more on Stoicism in Brigid Delaney’s book “Reasons Not to Worry: How to be stoic in Chaotic Times.”

In her chapter on anxiety, Delaney cites prominent Stoics of the past such as the former slave Epictetus, Seneca and the philosopher /emperor Marcus Aurelias and modern Stoics like author William Irvine who advise us to turn our challenges and setbacks into character building resilience. Our setbacks and hard times can be turned back on themselves and become tools for becoming stronger and more resilient in facing the trials of the world.

Delaney goes on to suggest using the Stoic control test to calm anxiety. One of the root concepts of Stoicism is the Control Test. It is basically a general checklist of what is within your personal control. There are three basic areas that Stoics believe you have control over:

1.  our character
2.  our reactions (and sometimes our actions)
3.  and how we treat others

She also suggested that giving up on hope was a way to reduce anxiety. I’m not sure that I am totally ready to give up on hope in the way that Delaney suggests . The premise of the Stoic approach in suggesting that we avoid hope is that when the object of your hope does not happen then the disappointment of not having your hope validated leads to anxiety.

Delaney suggests that giving up on hope is ” the joy of being able to live firmly in the present rather than constantly thinking, dreading and fantasizing about what might occur in the future.”

"Cease to hope and you will cease to fear. Peace takes the place of hope and fear."

Delaney further suggests that by giving up a dependence on hope which Stoics believe is out of your control, you can better prepare yourself for hardships and the their temporary nature.

Stoics say to accept the reality of the moment and act according to what is happening right now.

This little book that I picked up at a closing branch of Barnes and Noble a few months ago, has been an effective tool in helping me through the difficult times that we find ourselves in right now.

I’ll confess that I am a bit uncomfortable with the idea of totally giving up on hope, But Delaney has given me a new way to think about it. In these times, I’m game to try something different.

And I like to think.

On the Bright Side

• Vladimir Putin is undoubtedly very pleased to have Donald J. Trump as president of the United States. But he must be wondering what he did wrong in his grooming of Trump to be the American head of state. We are six months into our four year Presidential sentence and you have to think that if Trump and his entourage really wanted to destroy Democracy as we know it that it would have been accomplished by now.
• Trump has surrounded himself with blithering incompetence. Pam Bondi, Pete Hegseth, Kash Patel (where has he gone?) and Kristi Noem among others.
• Bondi looks like she has aged 50 years in the last six months. She used to be a semi attractive woman.
• Patel has wilted under the pressure and seems to have gone on a six month vacation drunk.
• Speaking of drunk, wouldn’t it be better to have Hegseth return to running a non-profit while he lives his life in a semi-sober stupor?
• And what about puppy killer Kristi Noem. The SPCA might lobby to keep her hidden away in Washington D.C. far away from any cute puppies, hamsters or geckos, but most of us would prefer sending her back to the good people of South Dakota and let them decide what to do with her.
• All in all, we are still in a deep pile of manure. The good news is that these idiots don’t seem to know how to dismantle a democracy.
• That’s good for us.
• Here’s a link to some photos from the June 14 “No Kings” nationwide rallies to Trump’s birthday party/toy festival in D.C.
• Here’s a link to June 14 in D.C.
• Would someone please show the Supreme Court a copy of the Constitution that they are supposed to be upholding? The Tech Bros. must have figured out how to change the wording of the document in real time.
• Keep pressure on the big money; Musk, Peter Thiel, Bezos, Zuckerberg et al. Our voice may be muted, but they understand lower profits.
• Hitler took advantage of real socio-economic conditions in 1930’s-40’s Germany. Today’s Fascists needed to create those conditions and then apply their inhumane solutions to them.
• Support journalism.
• Take to the streets when you can
• Take good care of yourself and keep your eyes on the prize.

Stay cool and prosper.