1984

With the upcoming elections and huge wars going on in the Middle East, I find myself in defeat.

The world around us is changing. There are so many moving parts to this place we call home. Change is inevitable. We are different today than we were 10, 50, 75, or 100 years ago, each time period containing some sort of revolt or controversy. For example, as far back as 1960, we had the Vietnam War, which promoted criticism for its moral justification and high casualties. In 1970, we were introduced to three major controversies: Watergate, the War on Drugs, and Roe v. Wade. The 1980s gave us the start of the AIDS epidemic. The 1990s brought the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal and the Rodney King beatings, which stimulated the LA riots. The 2000s enticed a war with the 9/11 terrorist attacks, along with controversy surrounding Hurricane Katrina and the government’s response. The 2010s to 2020 showed triumphs regarding same-sex marriage, the Me Too movement, and Black Lives Matter. Last but not least, the 2020s are giving us a hell of a ride with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Capitol riot, the war between Russia and Ukraine, and now a continued war against Israel. I apologize for the quick history recap, but I must use this to remind myself that no, we are not going through something new. Whatever controversies we have are neither worse nor better than those prior to our generation. They just are that: controversies.

Okay, so we know that this is not the first time America or the global community has gone through something controversial. Now knowing this, why does it feel as though those around me cannot get a grip on the facts?

Let’s state some key characteristics of facts for argument's sake:

Objective Truth: Facts are based on observable, measurable, or documented events or phenomena. They remain true regardless of who observes or reports them.

Verifiability: Facts can be confirmed through reliable evidence, such as documents, physical artifacts, eyewitness accounts, or data. For example, in history, sources like government records, letters, photographs, or media reports are often used to verify facts.

Timelessness: Facts are true regardless of the passage of time. For example, the fact that "the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776" remains true no matter when it is being discussed.

Neutrality: Facts do not carry inherent bias or interpretation. While people may interpret facts differently, the fact itself remains neutral. For instance, "World War II ended in 1945" is a neutral statement of fact, though people may interpret the causes and consequences of the war differently.

So why does everyone believe Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok?

Why does everyone sit on their phones and believe an influencer over their own ability to fact-check?

Well, with some research, I found several alarming facts.

According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center, 48% of U.S. adults say they get news "often" or "sometimes" from social media.

In 2020, MIT found that false news stories on Twitter were 70% more likely to be retweeted than factual stories.

Dozens of articles express how the algorithm promotes confirmation bias and emotional bias. Psychologists suggest that people feel more validated when they engage in shared social beliefs, even if they are not grounded in facts.

Research from Stanford University indicated that young people cannot distinguish between ads, news, stories, and misinformation online. I'm adding the link because the study was conducted in 2016, but it is fascinating to review. (https://ed.stanford.edu/news/stanford-researchers-find-students-have-trouble-judging-credibility-information-online + https://purl.stanford.edu/fv751yt5934)

Look, I have no doubt that the world will be okay. I'm still extremely hopeful and naive. I just wish I did not have to sit through people who have a screen time of 5+ hours daily on social media talking about the future of this country, quoting completely saturated misinformation.