If you can’t avoid fake news you need to learn how to deal with it

Fake news is everywhere. The true secret to dealing with it is learning how to understand and limit its effects.

by: E.B. Johnson

Fake news is everywhere these days, and it’s quickly becoming a problem which is both far-reaching and toxic. Every aspect of our day-to-day lives has become permeated by this intentionally misleading information — from social conversations we have, to the political ones — and it’s even beginning to take a toll on our health and the way we live and work and breath. As fake news grows stronger and more advanced (see “deep fakes”) it has become more important than ever that we learn how to spot the difference between the truth and a lie.

Limiting the effects of fake news on our daily lives is a commitment that has to be made every single day. It comes alongside that knowledge that it’s your civic duty — as a functioning member of society — to put in the work it takes to boost the knowledge that you need to make good decisions. By defining fake news and realizing how it can both limit and destroy our lives, we can make better decisions and become more familiar with our own ultimate truths. Fake news is only as powerful as we make it, but it will never be as powerful as truth and hard-earned knowledge.

What is “fake news”?

You’d have to be living under a rock to be unfamiliar with the term “fake news”. It’s become not only a part of our every day language, but our every day lives — and it’s causing no end of problems when it comes to our political environment and the way we interact with one another.

In short, fake news is misinformation created intentionally to elicit an intended response or reaction. It’s used when it comes to our political leaders, our health choices and even the way we raise our children; and experts think it’s one of the most detrimental things to happen to our society.

Fake news, no matter how you spin it, is meant to be misleading and it’s meant to lead you to take an action you might not otherwise consider. It can come in the form of masking situations or distorting data in order to present a claim or argument, and it’s almost always entirely vague. Truly learning how to decipher and limit the damage that fake news has on our lives is important, but it starts with understanding how it works (and how it doesn’t).

Why it spreads so quickly.

Whether it’s about lavender oils or a presidential scandal, fake news seems to spread like wildfire and cause dissention and enragement no matter where it goes. While it might seem like there is a complex or nuanced reason for this, there’s no rocket-science behind the reason for the viral nature of most fake news. We’re humans, and as humans, we’re emotional creatures; emotional creatures that like to be entertained.

Many experts have claimed that the nature of viral fake news can be attributed to a need for entertainment. More often than not, a fake news story features a villain that everyone loves to hate and a story that’s exactly as evil as we’d like to believe. On the other side of that coin, fake news can also fill whatever sense of cravings we might have in our lives — from drama to a simple relief from the burden of our every day realities.

The way fake news causes damage.

There are a number of ways that fake news can cause damage to our society and the way we see ourselves and the world around us. Fake news goes a long way to shaping our political conversations, and it also goes a long way to informing some of the very real-world reactions people have to certain situtions. It doesn’t just stop there, however. Fake news can also be devastating to your health and make it hard to tell fact from fiction.

Shaping political conversation

One of the most damaging ways that fake news causes damage is through a re-shaping of our political conversations. Fake news reports can lead to a stirring of national emotion that is then turned against issues like racism, discrimination, sexism, homophobia, etc. Rather than relying on logic and fact, this misinformation causes people to react from a place of high emotion or otherwise deluded and one-sided “facts”. It’s a downward spiral and a negative habit to break.

Real world reactions

While fake news stories might seem obvious or otherwise nonsensical to some of us, the same can’t be said for all. To some, discerning what’s real from what’s fake is hard, and when that’s not done right it can lead to real world reactions. Examples include the infamous “Lisa case” story in which it was claimed a 13 year-old girl was raped by refugees. Though the story was later proven to be untrue, it caused to a dramatic rise in anti-immigrant sentiment across countries like Germany.

Harmful to your health

In recent years, the fake news wave has permeated the health industry — leading to disastrous results for our families, our children and even our society at large. Misleading articles (often masked as those of large publications or scientific journals) make false claims about everything from vaccines to modern medical treatments; combining the occasionnaly true statement with a number of falsified claims that can make it hard for the reader to tell the difference.

Inability to tell fact from fiction

When you’re constantly surrounded by lies and gaslighting, it can become hard to tell fact from fiction. Because fake news is used by everyone from the media conglomerates to our political leaders, it’s difficult for us to tell the difference between what’s really happening and what should be occuring. Becoming lost in this blurred reality keeps us stuck, scared, stupid and unable to react effectively to the stressors us.

Telling the difference between real news and fake news.

If you want to limit the effects of fake news on your life, you have to start effectively differentiating between what is real an what is misinformation. Getting past fake news means getting critical, but it also means getting invested in yourself and the knowledge you possess. We can use our intuition to get beyond fake news, but we also have to use our logic and leave our emotions behind.

1. Get critical about the right things

As human beings, we have a tendency to be critical of a lot of different things but often, those things aren’t necessarily the most important or most relevant to what we want from life. If we want to learn how to limit the effects of fake news on our lives, we have to learn how to get critical. Most importantly, however, we need to learn how to get critical about the things that actually matter.

What makes fake news dangerous is that it is often believable. Whether it’s wrapped up in an official-looking package, or masked with a couple of real facts buried deeply beneath a false narrative — fake news gets many of us not because we are stupid, but because we don’t take the time we need to truly analyze something in-depth and honestly.

Leave your emotional responses at the door when reading a new piece of news (or a new article) and approach everything you read rationally and critically. Fact-check any declarative statements made, and ensure that they align with not only the professionals, but your own personal perspective as well. Only when our actions and beliefs align with those of reality do we truly find our authentic flow and meaning.

2. Check your intuition

We live in a scientific world, but this reliance on data-driven living can cause us to lose sight of the inherent gifts we possess…like intuition. Our intuition was passed down century after century by ancestors that fine-tuned it to protect us from potentially dangerous or damaging situations and experiences. When we learn to listen to our intuition, it can lead to some major insights not only for our authentic sense of self, but in relation to the world around us as well.

Use your common sense. If something sounds too good to be true, or it sounds like it’s made up — it probably is. Remember that, more often than not, fake news is generated to feed on the fears and insecurities that allow us to be easily controlled. Refuse to let your mind be anything other than your own, and listen to you gut when it tells you something is off.

It’s important to remember that it’s a fine line to walk, however. Leaning too much on your intuition can lead to feelings of paranoia and guilt, while also alienating you from potential progress or authenticity. Allow your intuition to move and feel freely, but always compare it — length for length — against what you feel to be the truth and the facts. Don’t let your heart get in the way of the facts your mind needs to possess.

3. Then check sources

No matter what story you’re reading — no matter where you heard it or where it came from — it’s imperative that you check all the sources every single time. Doing some digging is part of our work as readers and as citizens. Truly engaging with a piece (and sometimes even our humanity and politics) requires putting in some effort and researching things that are presented to us. Look into publishers and look into the writers. By asking yourself a few questions, you can usually find out whether or not what you’re reading is real.

When looking at a new piece, really pay attention to who wrote it. Look at the quality of the website and assess whether or not it’s the site of a major publication or someone’s personal blog. Check the URL and ask yourself questions like, “Is there any outlying reason this person might have written this? Are they receiving any funding or incentive for supporting this cause outside of what is right?” Digging can help you find these answers, but that takes some work (and a far bit of Googling).

Never rely strictly on information that was just passed along to you by someone else. When it comes to verifiable facts, it’s best to use the statistics and averages of someone who is a professional, or someone who has a proven track record within the referenced field. Avoid strange URL’s and lookout for sites that end in suspicious extensions like “.offer” or “.infonet”, and always be sure to think about things that exaggeration reputation.

4. Get invested in knowledge

Ignorance is no longer an excuse in this internet age. In order to protect ourselves from the machinations of power, we have to work hard to arm ourselves with knowledge and get invested in building up the general skills and core concepts we need to thrive. Understanding that something isn’t true just isn’t enough. You need to know why it’s not true, and you need to have the receipts (citations) to prove that knowledge.

Start investing in your knowledge and your intelligence. If you feel as though you don’t completely understand something, ask for clarification, and take the initiative to take on-board whatever additional knowledge is needed in order to fully grasp the concept. Stop assuming everyone is telling the truth, and stop assuming that you know enough to get by. There’s always something else to learn, and there’s always a pay-off for knowledge. Because it’s power.

Read papers, listen to audiobooks, watch TED Talks. There’s a million-and-one way to learn new things, and there’s a million-and-two easy and free ways to do it. From online courses that cover eveything from 16th c. discourse to modern political theory, the knowledge you need to critically assess any situation successfully is right within your reach. Take initiative and take responsibility for your role as a citizen in society. Invest in yourself and invest in the database of knowledge you have that allows you to make informed decisions.

5. Reading between the lines

Learning how to read between the lines is one of those critical skills that goes a long way in improving not just our decision-making ability, but our overall quality of life as well. When it comes to fake news, it’s imperative to look beyond the superficial to the hidden values and meanings lying beneath the surface. Analyzing these facets successfully allows us to arms ourselves with the understanding to move forward confidently beyond the charade.

Start first by listening carefully to what is being said and the meaning it’s attempting to convey. If you’re listening to someone explaining a point directly, keep your statements neutral and rephrase what they’ve said to you — to ensure you understand what’s being said. Likewise, if you’re reading an article or watching something on TV, don’t be afraid to Google things or take a second to hit pause and analyze.

Next, take notes (if you need to) and make sure they contain the details that you need to embark on a comparative fact-finding mission. Listen for what’s not said, and make note of the things that strike you as odd or — at the very least — interesting. Notice changes of subject abruptly, or roundabout answers that say nothing while promising everything. Reflect on those things, and any other factors like prestige, debt, reputation and mutual interests that might affect or influence the informtion you’re receiving. These things add up, and they have a big impact on the points that are being delivered.

6. Examine all the evidence

The sooner we accept our role as contributing members of society, the easier it is to accept our need to examine all the evidence. When we examine all the evidence, we get to the root of the truth at the heart of fake news; in a way that allows us to make more efficient and effective decisions. Many of us have a tendency to accept what we’re told, while others only seek evidence that confirms their own biases. We have to examine all the evidence, however, (even the stuff we don’t like) and apply it in order to find the truth.

Dig deep on your fact-finding missions and find every scrap of evidence that you can — including the facts you may not want to face. The tempting thing about fake news is that it often seems to confirm our basic biases, without asking anything from us in the way of growth. They play to our common natures, but that’s not where we dwell, nor should it be where we aim to exist.

Accept all the evidence and let it all shape your opinion, no matter what that may be. Don’t shy away from the facts that negate your initial opinion, and don’t deny factual pieces of evidence that might otherwise disprove what you had always assumed to be the undeniable truth. The best thing about being human is having the ability to learn, grow and change unlike any other species on the planet. Use that ability to boost your knowledge and overcome the threat of fake news with an undeniable understanding of truth.

Putting it all together…

There is, perhaps, no greater threat to our modern way of life than the rise of “fake news”. Fake news is everywhere, and it permeates every aspect of our lives — especially the political ones. This type of misinformation can take a major toll on our relationships, our happiness and even our society as a whole; and more than that, it’s a disservice to the truth that might otherwise lead us to a better world. While it may not be possible to completely block the amount of fake news we’re bombarded with everyday, it is possible to limit it by building up our understanding of what it is and how it works.

Get critical (about the right things) and start refusing to accept things as they are; opting instead to dig deeper into any concept that might not be just important, but also nuanced. Look for outside reporting, and don’t just lean on the sources that confirm whatever your initial biases might be. Listen to your intuition. Too often we ignore that feeling in our gut, but it’s often right when it tells us that something is wrong. Dig deep. Listen to what your heart tells you and then check all the sources for the facts. Our emotions are powerful persuaders, but they’re not always right. Invest in your knowledge and understanding, so that you can process information in a way that suits what you really want to align yourself with. We have to examine all the evidence if want to make powerfully informed decisions that make life better not just for ourselves, but for the world around us. Stop letting fake news limit who you are.