Is it information or is it disinformation? 

Media bombardment. How many devices are we connected to throughout the day? I resisted technology when it began to boom. I much preferred the old-fashioned means of obtaining my news and information when I believed, maybe naively, that it was factual and mostly true. Don’t get me wrong, disinformation is nothing new. Nowadays, it just reaches us at lightning speed. 

Disinformation and sensationalism in newspapers and periodicals has existed for more than a century. Propaganda is another closely related word to disinformation. Remember Hitler and his propaganda in order to attempt the extermination of Jews? The U.S. set disinformation in motion by instilling fear regarding Native Americans to conquer and achieve land. Slavery kept people of color to the bottom rungs of social class. The U.S. also created internment for Japanese people in this country. Most recently a certain administration had targeted Muslims. Disinformation and propaganda, folks! This is all rooted in history and the bottom line is that it’s based on social inequities and maintain the status quo. Power differentials are learned and modeled. Systemic racism, xenophobia and homophobia keep that power alive. 

Social media is the fastest way to obtain skewed and very much less than objective or factual information. Other more professional sources such as newspapers and television have had a hand in sensationalizing current topics. Remember when a recent President and candidate spread disinformation that ended up being investigated? There you go. When are we as a whole going to use our brains and filter out the b.s.? 

I suggest NOT obtaining “news” from social media unless the source is credible. Here’s a survey for a jump start on your filtering of information.  Tell me what you think!              

“What good fortune for governments that the people don’t think” -Adolf Hitler