I call it Google Wars.
It starts as we are just mindlessly browsing social media and we get sucked into an argument or we see something that strikes a chord within us. We know we should just keep scrolling but instead we throw in our 2 cents. But then someone responds to our comment with, "show me the proof".
So then we are being challenged and it is imperative that we defend our position. We all do it. We think, "I'll show them the truth." We browse through the results until we find what we consider valid proof, post it and say, "there ya go." It is so easy to find articles that support our own argument on Google no matter what stance we take.
A typical response to the "proof" sometimes goes like, "that is not a credible source". Now they are saying your point is invalid and you are being judged by your "source" of information. Am I right? We see it all day long on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.
We just want to be right and we want our perspective to be heard. With so many people doing the same thing...IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING REALLY, REALLY LOUD OUT THERE! Doesn't it sometimes feel like a shouting match?
So today my cousin and I were in a little debate about California's new "Sanctuary State Law". I expressed my opinion, she expressed hers. They were mostly polar opposites. I offered up a couple pieces of evidence and this was her response:
Then she offered up an article that debated my position and I looked up the source and responded to her source with:
I was not familiar with the website she referenced as her truly biased fact checker source. https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/
so I researched it. This was taken directly from their site:
My mind naturally went into, "who is behind Media Bias Fact Check?" So, I Googled. Guess what? There is not a ton of information on the creator of the site which may be a good thing or a may be bad. Here is what I found out (taken directly from http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-02-20/exposing-9-fakest-fake-news-checkers):
MediaBIasFactCheck.com describes itself as “the most comprehensive media bias resource in the Internet.” The site is owned by Dave Van Zandt from North Carolina, who offers no biographical information about himself aside from the following: “Dave has been freelancing for 25+ years for a variety of print and web mediums (sic), with a focus on media bias and the role of media in politics. Dave is a registered Non-Affiliated voter who values evidence based reporting” and, “Dave Van Zandt obtained a Communications Degree before pursuing a higher degree in the sciences. Dave currently works full time in the health care industry. Dave has spent more than 20 years as an arm chair researcher on media bias and its role in political influence.”
There is much more in the evaluation of this "fact checker" website done by yet another news outlet "fact checker". Tyler Durden of Zerohedge.com interviewed Dave Van Zandt and quoted him as saying, “Bottom line is, we are not trying to be something we are not,” he said. “We have disclaimers on every page of the website indicating that our method is not scientifically proven and that there is [sic] subjective judgments being used as it is unavoidable with determining bias.”
We are in a war people, a war to find the most accurate information in a pool of opinions. The world we live in is full of photoshopped images, made up stories, glorified headlines and convincing story lines.
I pray that you all be blessed with truth and wisdom as you sort through it all.
