accuracy of information

[bergenski]

How much stock do you put in the accuracy and effectiveness of information carrying today, and how do you feel is the best way to obtain accurate information on the state of existence?

[geniusndisguise]

If you really want to understand an issue or subject you need to get information from as many different sources and perpectives as possible and start sifting. Even then, you can only do your best and are not guaranteed to really know anything. There are so many filters of human perspective that information goes through before it gets to your head, not to mention your own. I find it difficult to believe anyone really knows anything.

When it comes to news and politics, forget it. The politicians don't want you to know the truth and neither does the media.

[libertarianjim]

Back when I was teaching, I taught a course on political behavior. I started one day off by asking: "How do you know what you know? Think of how many different people influence the flow of information from an event to your brain."

-An event happens

-Witnesses or participants, with their own biases, report their interpretation of events

-News reporters, with their own biases and career interests, try to create a story out of the retelling of events

-News editors, with their own biases and career interests, try to piece together elements of what the reporters and their crew captured to make for compelling TV

-News producers, with their own biases and career interests, put what edited stories on TV that they think matter that will interest the audience while not alientating sponsors

-The watcher, with their own biases, determine what news shows or individual stories to pay attention to

-And that person retells what s/he thought was important to people, who, with their own biases, determine whether to listen and glean what THEY think is important

How trustworthy do you think most information is? It's better now than when Walt Lippmann was writing in the 20s, with more outlets and more direct links between events and news comsumers (ie live and late-breaking news), but news still gets interpreted and bent before it reaches its destination.

Edit: 700 posts. Cool.

[distraction tactics]

How much stock do you put in the accuracy and effectiveness of information carrying today, and how do you feel is the best way to obtain accurate information on the state of existence?

I believe most of the information is pretty accurate, or at least is as accurate it can be. With basic critical-thinking skills, you can read into an article and deduce what hasn't been said.

Bias and misinformation in media gets a ton of hype, but right now I can't think of an example where it really matters.*

*Give it a moment's thought and respond to what I'm really saying, not what you wish I was.