Regarding Facts and Fiction

In our brave new world dominated by the Internet, there's no time to wait around for reputable journalism and encyclopedias. Both have been largely pushed aside by anonymous writers filling space on web pages with speculative information presented without any attribution.

Today much of what we think we know comes from blogs and the Wikipedia, and is delivered by index sites that perform the task previously held by professional editors. Instead of getting news based on its importance or the public's right to know, we get news that generates clicks and advertising revenue.

Our facts are polished to reflect false impressions, and piled high to block out our view of reality.

We know a lot about the personal relationships of pop singers, but little about what's happening in the world around us. We can easily look up details on the mythology of the comic book characters we grew up with, but have little reference for understanding what has actually happened in the last five years, and why and how it matters.

We are becoming a decadent society with specialized expertise in many unimportant areas, but lacking practical knowledge essential for our own survival and future happiness.

We are entertained, not instructed; our entertainment too often teaches us that torture and force are usually necessary and that dialog is a weakness. We are being lead into serving corporate and militaristic interests by decisive ideologies that align us behind brands, religions, and nationalities rather than an identity as equal people who share a planet.

We have replaced logic and reason with sensationalism and suppositions twisted to support ideas that could not otherwise stand. We allow the truth to be town down by the slightest hint of unsubstantiated fears from anonymous whispers.

We need to stop pretending that the refined sugar we feed our minds is somehow nutritious. We have to stop ignoring reality just to cope with it. We must look at important issues and talk about them, not simply entertain ourselves in efforts to forget about them.

We need to demand truth and justice, not merely adapt to life in a world where they are increasingly rare. Every day that we poison ourself with complacency is lost time for making the world a better place.

Don't shrug off opportunities to do, to feel, to help, to smile, to love, and to work for change.

Let’s make 2007 a better year.

- Dan

I really like to hear from readers. What do you think? Leave a comment or email me with your ideas.