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Dissemination of Misinformation
One of the identifiable problems with our society is the transfer of incorrect information. It is not new in the context of history. Our media (the 4th estate), has morphed into medium of biased misinformation and disinformation. Most of us are aware of the disinformation component. Most are aware of the bias of purported news organizations and their various anchors, reporters, and show hosts. This applies to CNN, Fox, MSNBC, NBC, CBS, PBS and the various cable and radio channels. We are aware of the dramatic shift in media culture over the past 2 – 3 decades born out of the rise in competition from cable and the internet.
This ireport focuses on ‘misinformation’.
As a conservative I tend to watch Fox, but toggle into MSNBC, CNN and others to see how the fringe left is shaping their disinformation. Disinformation or untruthful bias is easy to recognize. Misinformation however is very difficult to recognize however.
Here is my case:
I watch Fox on a regular basis, some time back on O’Reilly, he and a guest Lou Dobbs were discussing a financial markets issue. I won’t bore you with the details, but this is my field of expertise.
Listening to these two discuss the matter was painful.
Everything they said was ill informed and uneducated opinion that had no basis in reality. Then the epiphany, if these guys sound this ignorant to me as an expert in this field, how does O’Reilly sound to an M.D. on the subject of medicine, or an attorney on the subject of law?
Knowing what I was looking for, I went to CNN and other channels and discovered the same thing.
So, here is the issue. It is evident that these show hosts have incredibly limited knowledge, are undereducated on specific subjects, and have no ability to discern when they are lacking knowledge on a subject matter.
The result is that the information we receive from our media is often disinformation or bias based on misinformation and lack of knowledge. Basically it’s just a big mess.
If you combine the misinformed opinions and intentional bias (disinformation) with the transfer of misinformation and disinformation on the internet between people, you have a recipe for stupidity and ignorance. You get citizens building passionate opinions and building their life philosophy on bad information.
I would like to see a show with an educated host; a host that knows that he doesn’t know everything and has the ability to detach from the politics and bias. I would like to see a show where the host has on real intellectual experts that speak in terms of facts while having an open mind about potential error in their thinking. I would like to see deep and informed discussions where the host asks the question and give the ‘expert’ time to expound on his knowledge, ask additional questions related to the subject not to get the answer he wants, but to learn more about the subject. I want to learn about subjects of which I am not an expert. I don’t want heated opinions from ill informed hosts and unqualified guests both on a political mission. I will form my own opinion from that information.
This ireport focuses on ‘misinformation’.
As a conservative I tend to watch Fox, but toggle into MSNBC, CNN and others to see how the fringe left is shaping their disinformation. Disinformation or untruthful bias is easy to recognize. Misinformation however is very difficult to recognize however.
Here is my case:
I watch Fox on a regular basis, some time back on O’Reilly, he and a guest Lou Dobbs were discussing a financial markets issue. I won’t bore you with the details, but this is my field of expertise.
Listening to these two discuss the matter was painful.
Everything they said was ill informed and uneducated opinion that had no basis in reality. Then the epiphany, if these guys sound this ignorant to me as an expert in this field, how does O’Reilly sound to an M.D. on the subject of medicine, or an attorney on the subject of law?
Knowing what I was looking for, I went to CNN and other channels and discovered the same thing.
So, here is the issue. It is evident that these show hosts have incredibly limited knowledge, are undereducated on specific subjects, and have no ability to discern when they are lacking knowledge on a subject matter.
The result is that the information we receive from our media is often disinformation or bias based on misinformation and lack of knowledge. Basically it’s just a big mess.
If you combine the misinformed opinions and intentional bias (disinformation) with the transfer of misinformation and disinformation on the internet between people, you have a recipe for stupidity and ignorance. You get citizens building passionate opinions and building their life philosophy on bad information.
I would like to see a show with an educated host; a host that knows that he doesn’t know everything and has the ability to detach from the politics and bias. I would like to see a show where the host has on real intellectual experts that speak in terms of facts while having an open mind about potential error in their thinking. I would like to see deep and informed discussions where the host asks the question and give the ‘expert’ time to expound on his knowledge, ask additional questions related to the subject not to get the answer he wants, but to learn more about the subject. I want to learn about subjects of which I am not an expert. I don’t want heated opinions from ill informed hosts and unqualified guests both on a political mission. I will form my own opinion from that information.
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