Black Lives Matter (too) March, thousands of peaceful yet passionate protestors, and peaceful policemen & women

May 31, 2020 we have reached the 76th day of shelter in place, and there is so much bad news of deaths, injustices, and fake news exacerbating it all. This is not an easy post to write, nor to read. So, you can choose, whether or not to engage. I don’t propose a quick solution to the heartache, but share some long ago insights and some recent findings, that might help us all a bit.

In part one of this two-part blog, I discussed recent news, and ended with 1) abolitionist Theodore Parker’s quote “The arc of the moral universe is long but bends toward justice” made famous by MLK Jr; and 2) the discovery that foreign agents are leveraging real issues in the USA to sow greater divisions among citizenry, through fake news, in advance of the election.

Please see part one of this blog for reflections on the news and keeping hope. This post is about figuring out what is real, and what to focus on. Understanding what is true is key to helping us address the very real & deep issues behind current events.

Truth and information are easily distorted in this age with access to so many social media platforms and technologies — like all tools, they can be used for good or for bad… and there is much overwhelm until we learn how to feel comfortable with them. Related to point #2 above, foreign agents are leveraging real issues, to create bigger divisions in the USA in advance of the elections (using disinformation), here’s a warning from March: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/10/us/politics/russian-interference-race.html

And here’s an example from two days ago, of Russian disinformation operatives being active in urban areas of unrest. (Have you heard of deep fakes? If not, Google it– scary stuff) https://twitter.com/RT_com/status/1266746187752681474

My own experience at the marches was of thousands peacefully, emotionally, powerfully walking and chanting together, often with the police. I don’t doubt that hooligans took advantage of the crowds, night time, and discontent to create havoc (like they often do at and after sports games). But I don’t want the activity of dozens to distract from the activity of thousands. Here are two amateur videos (recorded by me, no editing — even if I wanted to, I lack that technical expertise) of the gathering, and a 3rd recorded by a friend of friend. Video #1 of peaceful protests https://youtu.be/7dULrRsGshA . Video #2 of peaceful protests https://youtu.be/oNvd6O13Prc . Video #3 of police and protestors peacefully together, in body and spirit https://twitter.com/derek_m_norman/status/1267279241177112576?s=19

Image by MicroStockHub from Getty Images Signature, via author’s Canva account

So, how do we discern what is real or not? I’d like to start with a simple reminder of journalistic ethics (discerned and semi-codified in the mid-twentieth century, in reaction to ‘”yellow journalism”). Report the facts. Offer some interpretation without (with minimal) spin. Cite your sources. If you’re going to state a claim, get it verified by 2+, independent sources. Anonymous sources only when it would put the source in danger.

Everyone can make mistakes. The major outlets will follow these standards, and will issue retractions or corrections on details they get incorrect. People or institutions trying to persuade, or stir up a movement have incentives to bend these guidelines. Not all do, but you want to look for evidence of commitment to truth. We have to ask ourselves a few questions, to connect to our values, discern truth, and decide upon our reaction.

Critical thinking is more important than ever, both to justice and to a continuing democracy. It’s time to connect with our values, not just our positions. We want to lean on what helps us be the best versions of ourselves, as we navigate a fast changing world… so we can “be the change you want to see in the world.”

So, if you see something alarming or especially endearing, take a few deep breaths and ask yourself these five questions (the neuroscience explanation = calm the cortisol and amygdala, so we can stay connected to our pre-frontal cortex, the “home” of higher cognitive functioning, in order to be less reactive, more thoughtful or discerning):

  • 1. Does this article or image feel especially angering or warm fuzzy? (trolls have techniques to cultivate online communities) If so, check veracity before sharing.
  • 2. Check in with my gut– does it seem unlikely but/or plausible? Is this an extreme example, or a cluster or trend? Check veracity and context before sharing.
  • 3. Do you know anything about the writer? Does this outlet have any particular slant or axe to grind, that might affect what and how it reports things?
  • 4. Are any major outlets (with journalistic standards & code of ethics) reporting this story?
  • 5. What do the non-partisan, truth researchers say? the best known are snopes.com and politifact.com, and wikipedia has a good and quite comprehensive list of fact-checker websites around the world.

Let’s stay kind and compassionate with ourselves and each other, endeavor to stay thoughtful (vs reactive), and be careful what we share.

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And, if you want to see more, check out this cool, interactive chart, which maps media bias & reliability link here.

This was originally posted on our sister site, experiencetoresilience.com (or E2R.online).