I’ve been thinking lately about how gullible we, as the
general public, can be when it comes to believing everything we are told. I was speaking with a man who loves to
research what is behind stories in the News (he does it almost as a hobby) and
it was quite an eye opener.
He was telling me some of the history behind the Ukraine war
and why it has come about. He wasn’t
condemning or condoning either side, stating that war was war and generally it
can be found that there are faults on both sides.
What he was pointing out, was that we are being deliberately
led to buy into the idea of “Big Bad Russia invaded Good Little Ukraine,”
without giving us any information as to why the war has happened and little or
no verifiably factual information about what is actually occurring.
It is very easy to jump onto a popular platform and condemn
the side we perceive to be as “wrong,” without stopping and questioning
anything.
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| A recent sunset |
This actually applies to everything we hear/see in the News
– we are inclined to believe it all without realising it is frequently filled with deliberate
propaganda, manipulation of the truth, hidden agendas, and can even reflect the
personal bias of a reporter.
I remember once speaking with a couple who had
passed through Jerusalem on their honeymoon in the 1980s.
They had spent a whole day wandering around a particular area, and were
astounded that evening to watch the TV News and see film footage of all the
bombing that had been occurring in that area that day. They had heard and seen nothing at all, not
even a gunshot let alone several bombs.
It makes it very difficult to know what to believe. Who can we trust to tell the truth?
Unfortunately, this is the world we live in.
Not much we can do about that, but I like to think I can
become more aware of what I am being ‘fed’ in the News.
As the old saying goes, there are two sides to every story –
and the truth is usually found somewhere in the middle.
Margaret 😊
We are skeptical of everything the news has to say. It is particularly true of the national news. But you are right, I would say the vast majority takes is as gospel. It seems all they are trying to do is scare and terrorize us.
ReplyDeleteSo very true Margaret - I agree wholeheartedly - the media are out to make money, often at the expense of truth, more than anything else!!
ReplyDeleteBlessings
Maxine
So true. There are always two sides to every story. One thing about the internet is that you can hear a different side to a story though you might not always like it.
ReplyDeleteI have stopped watching the news on TV, I always watched BBC, but I was so fed up with what they were showing and their spin on events, even to the point they were reporting what they think would happen, I have not found a channel which is not similar. We are fed so much information, and they are trying to soften it so we can understand, so their views are always at the top of any report.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there are always two sides to every story. If I were to report on the damage caused by an earthquake in New Zealand would there be two sides to that? If I were to examine the level of plastic pollution in the ocean would there be two sides to that? And you are making the assumption that your friend who does the fact checking has been able to suspend all his biases and uncover the dispassionate, unvarnished truth. I think that begs a few questions.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the things I love about you my Dear!!!!!! You delve into deep subjects, along with the regular blogging fare. This is so rare!!!!!! Deep posts I mean. And so great, to find!!!! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteIf any one does not believe that all *news* is manipulated, they are STUPID!!!!
There, I said it!!!
Sad to say, a lot, lot, lot of people, swallow whatever they are *fed*, as *news.* Without bothering to do any searching for themselves.
This man is a wonderful person to have among your acquaintances. Please tell him, I admire him for his dedication to searching for himself. Wish he was a friend of mine.
Gentle hugs...
And I add my loved Oct. Sig. Line.... Just for fun. But know it does not apply to you. :-))))))
🍁🌰🌻🍂🎃🍂🌻🌰🍁
"Hark! The wind is rising,
And the air is full of leaves.
We've had our summer evenings.
Now, for October Eves."
What I think all the fake news has done is make us even more skeptical of everything we hear. I know that's not totally a good thing but it's better than taking everything as true.
ReplyDeleteOh, I so agree with you...I was just listening to something and I wondered how much truth there was in it. Before I read this. This certain speaker gets up and tells blatant lies, and I don't know if he has totally lost it or does not expect us to remember things from the recent past.
ReplyDelete