Getting out of the Echo Chamber

"The opinions expressed by John Waldron on Dr. John's Jottings are a major reason to own a computer."  -- Winston Churchill.


I've found Facebook a pretty discouraging place these days.  I like the personal stuff.  I like to see photos from people's days, glimpse into the lives of friends who live far away from me that I haven't seen in ages.  On the other hand, there really are an awful lot of articles that contain misinformation, false quotes, and mix fact and fiction in a dangerous way.

"The Internet definitely isn't what it used to be."  --Abraham Lincoln.

Typically, these posts begin with an axe to grind -- a political figure to tear down, or a medical practice to blow up.  The articles then follow this up with rhetoric that stretches the truth, leaves out crucial information, and generally skews a discussion to the author's point of view.  Sometimes "facts" are made up whole cloth, but more often than not, facts that might contradict are conveniently ignored.

Few on Facebook seem able to check if a quote is really from the person it claims to be.  I have seen misattributed quotes to JFK, Hitler, Abraham Lincoln, and Larry Bird, among others.  I suppose it just seems more powerful if you have Abraham Lincoln in your corner than Joe Smith from the Irish Pub around the corner.

Maybe things are different on Parler and MeWe, but I doubt it.

"Everyone's an expert on the internet."  -- Walt Whitman.

So it is that Jenny McCarthy's opinion has the same weight as Tom Frieden, Director of the CDC on Facebook.  In fact, her opinion is probably more valid to some because he is a scientist -- a spokesman for the establishment -- while she is a caring mother.

It is awfully easy to find articles and opinions and memes that mirror our own views and then sit back and relax, pleased that knowledgeable people believe just as we do.

In the end, we need to listen to voices other than those in our own echo chamber.  We need to research the reality of the facts quoted in an article.  Is it true that Amish children don't have autism?  What are the real dangers of drinking raw milk?  Are doctors really unethical enough to fabricate death certificate diagnoses?

The truth is out there for those who do a little research.  Only through concerted effort can we expand our minds and truly understand the great and amazing world that surrounds us.

"Facebook  is the least reliable place to get real news about me..."  Alexander the Great.