History is being rigged, information has been distorted and facts are tossed in flake. We must know how to draw wisdom from the knowledge shoved in to our brain!
In
such a complex world, where information bomb is being exploded in everyone’s
mobile, how to decide what to believe and what should not be believed? Where a
lot of information is being bombarded but knowledge evaporating and wisdom is
fading… how can we trust upon whatever we read on screens?
When
WhatsApp and Facebook are running advertisements to educate users about fake
news. When every day we here that people are being killed just because of
rumors spreading around through social media, how can one judge what is right
and what is wrong?
Well,
I want to tell you about things which is in your control and things that you
cannot control. You can decide whether or not to forward a fake information,
but you cannot figure out who is creating it. You can stop forwarding but
cannot stop its production. It is being created willfully, with an intention
and for a well-conceived objective. There are people who purposefully want you
to believe upon things which is malicious, harmful and factually wrong. You can
educate yourself not believe upon these things but you cannot stop everyone
from believing it. You can keep yourself getting instigated or turn violent
just by reading these stuffs but you cannot control others from becoming
violent. You may not cause violence but you can be the victim of it.
Thus,
it is essential for a society to learn how to verify information to know
whether it fake or real. We’re working upon an idea that can keep all of us safe
from rumors, fake news and distorted history.
Step
One, if you are reading anything, figure out who has written it. Most of the
information on social media, specially WhatsApp that comes to us has no details
about its source, authorship and authenticity. If you do not get to know who
has written it or created it, try to ask from the person who has forwarded it
to you. If the person who has forwarded doesn’t even know its source, it almost
ascertains that the information is fake.
Step
Two, if you have got the source of the content, figure out who they’re, why are
they forwarding such information and how much they are qualified to create this
information. Most importantly, why they want us to consume that content they
have created? See, we all buy grocery, vegetables and fruits from a set store.
Why do we do this? Because over the people of time we develop a certain level
of trust upon the person and services. So, if we refuse to consume food from
unverified sources, how can we consume thoughts from unknown creators? Why all
the books, articles in magazines and newspapers always mention the name of its
authors? Why all cinema, TV Soaps do write the name of producers, people involved
in the making etc.? Because everyone wants to know whose idea it is and why
have they created it. We know which movie director and actor or author or journalist
and even teacher believes in what ideology. It helps us decide whether to buy their
books, whitepapers, cinema, play or music etc. or not? So, conclusion is if the
source of information is not known, then the information is wrong, malicious and
this may potentially harm. By knowing the person who has created it, you can
always figure out how much the person is biased to any specific regimen. Gradually,
you will develop a sense that how much low a person can reach to justify their
ideology. And this is how, you will get to draw your own line below which you
will refuse to believe what has been forced upon you to consume.
Because you as a reader, audience and/or listener
is a human being you must know which human has created it. Hotels display their
chef’s name when they serve you. Even a waiter or a laundry guy coming to you
has a name… is a human. You must not read, see or listen something coming from
a unknown person or perhaps from bots.
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