Misinformation: Ways Not To Be Victims

We live in an age where people do everything to “get distracted”, not to be constantly busy … It is paradoxical, because if we turn around, it is difficult to find another era in which we have been so distracted by reality as now. This state of living on the moon has consequences, such as being victims of disinformation.

We have never received as much information as now, we are literally inundated with it. We receive them everywhere at all times. The problem is that a great deal of that data is false, or at least misrepresented. We are, on the whole, victims of disinformation .

The consequences are very serious, particularly in the political field. We are continually bombarded with false information about politicians, particularly during the time of elections or big decisions. And this is how many become sympathizers or rather choose indifference as a strategy. So what can we do to avoid falling victim to disinformation?

Strategies for not falling victim to disinformation

1. Filter the topics

It is essential to do a conscience exercise to establish what really interests to know. Warning: we may be INTERESTED in baseball, for example, but let’s leave it out for a moment. The idea is to define what we NEED to know, not so much what catches our attention.

What we need to know is everything that directly affects our life. What involves us directly. If we do not want to be victims of disinformation, we must give priority to these factors. Otherwise, we will easily end up wasting time with irrelevant, albeit attractive, information.

2. Filter the sources

This is one of the most important mechanisms for not falling victim to disinformation. Nowadays, it has become more important who says things than what is said. Anyone can say nonsense and make them go viral,  or spread false news that, being mass, ends up becoming true.

Choose recognized and serious sources. You don’t have to sympathize with the big media (which also misinforms), but with sites, magazines and people who have a solid reputation. It doesn’t mean that those sources are infallible, but they certainly are more cautious about the content that is released. It is the best way to avoid being deceived.

3. Read books

Books almost always present much more accurate and reliable information. Writing a book is much more complicated than spreading gossip  on social networks. It requires a lot more work and, moreover, when published by a prestigious publishing house, it requires careful selection.

Books are an excellent source of information, especially for those topics for which there are too many conflicting opinions. Certainly, books by educated people with established or literary recognized professional careers are better. They provide more than just information: they help form a judgment.

4. Train critical ability

Criticism is not about looking at the negative aspects of something or someone. Rather, it is about the ability, in this case, to evaluate information. To develop this ability, there is nothing more sensible than training and exercising it. And the best way to start is to not believe everything they say.

Think, for example, if those who provide certain information may have an interest in making you see the world in a certain way. Evaluate how much they want to impress you with what they tell you. Do they come to your mind or do they gamble to impress you? Do they provide valid arguments or do they use only weak and isolated evidence? Skepticism helps develop critical thinking.

5. Cultivate the conscience

So many problems in life come from lack of conscience, but there is also a certain tendency to not want to know. We stop wondering why our words and actions and those of others. Many times, we want to live distracted, think or do only fleeting things, which require no reflection.

This is as harmful as the reverse. We cannot live worried about everything and aware of the slightest action or word. What we can do is seek a balance. Cultivate our conscience about what really matters and give less importance to what doesn’t matter.

If we become victims of disinformation, we will lose both our freedom and the possibility of having a clear and self-determined conscience. We must therefore pay attention to what enters our mind. Filter it, decant it, analyze it. In this way, we can be more aware and free to decide.