Misinformation, Conspiracy Theories, and Lies

We have created a world where we are constantly bombarded by misinformation, conspiracy theories, marketing, and just outright lies. It should be no surprise we are experiencing the impact.

Take gardening as a less controversial topic. It is filled with misinformation from social media platforms that give advice that is not backed scientifically, wannabe experts writing books with bad information, all the way to store clerks who appear to be and act like experts. The shelves of gardening stores are filled with useless items designed and marketed to us. This expands outward to every facet of our lives, like politics, education, the market, etc.

Our television entertainment is filled with alien conspiracy, bigfoot conspiracy, yeti, 9-11, and theories and all sorts of other conspiracy theories. We present on news stations so called experts who are often marketing staff and or their claim to being an expert, is no more than the shingle they have hung up. This happens on CBS, NBC, and ABC regularly. We get dating experts, gift experts, music experts who are often there to market a product. The mainstream media presents these people as experts.

I have seen wannabe experts presented with no more qualifications than they went to an elite college. One morning we hear about a study that coffee is good for us a week later another study that coffee is bad for us.

I google for a news item and mostly get a hodgepodge of news stories copied word for word from another media often of questionable reputation.

Where have you gone Walter Cronkite? A majority of Americans tuned in and you gave us a sense of normalcy in news reporting, kept us grounded in facts, and not opinions.

We have created a misinformation world. We have turned to find to news we want to find that agrees with our preconceived notions.

The saying you cannot escape the consequences of one’s actions, is more prophetic today than ever before.

The insurrection at the Capital is the outcome of conspiracy theories, lies, and misinformation about the presidential election.

One of my favorite quotes is: “EVERYONE IS ENTITLED TO THEIR OWN OPINIONS; BUT NOT TO THEIR OWN SET OF FACTS.” Senator Daniel Monahan

“We have met the enemy and he is us”

We created the misinformation, lies, and conspiracy theories. We need the news to be about facts, not opinions, and telling us how we should feel. We need to get off Facebook and Twitter and find better outlets for finding out about our lives. We need to not demonize the other side we disagree with.

I served in the US military defending our rights and the constitution. I have visited the Capital with reverence and pride in the past. I am deeply saddened to see the insurrection we witness yesterday.

It is time to pick up the pieces of our bruised constitution and rebuild. We need to do that through truth, facts, and picking apart the conspiracy theories and lies that have been thrown out and accepted by some. We need to find better places to get our news and stop listening to people who are telling us what to think wrapped around conspiracy theories.