The Age of (Mis)Information

The internet is a great thing, isn't it? Where else can you find an almost infinite amount of entertainment and information? Emails, blogs, live news/sports/weather/information streaming....It just doesn't get any better! Or does it? The internet is all of those things but it's one other thing we very often choose to ignore. It's the biggest repository of misinformation anywhere. This is one of the many reasons why teachers have such a difficult job today. Helping their students sort out the good stuff from the garbage is a daunting task. Take for example the blog submission I got today from The Girl Math Analyst (see http://georgeswebpage.com/blogspot). The person submitting this piece was making the point that the Economic Stimulus Package was so loaded with pork as to be the boondoggle of the century. She went on to explain why we, as individuals as well as a country, are on a course destined for disaster. Now, let me state right off, she may be right. She may have her facts straight but I haven't heard back yet. The point is I checked at least 20 'reputable' websites ranging from our own U.S.Government Appropriations Committee to the Wall Street Journal to the Heritage Foundation to the ProPublica Journal to...well, a lot of other places. Conservative, liberal, independent, you name it. I checked it for some verification of The Girl Math Analyst's facts and guess what? I couldn't find a single thing on her list. I found a whole bunch of other stuff that could be questioned but not the stuff she had. So what does one make of this. Well, first I think the information was passed on in the form of a forward-much the same way I get stuff. Consequently, verification is almost impossible. Second, I've come to the conclusion that most people will believe that which fits their particular view and dismiss that which is out of their belief system. I'm guilty of that too but I must confess I at least try to verify facts. So, yes, the internet is a great source of information, but watch out! The old adage about not believing everything you read is especially true here. There's an awful lot of junk floating around out there in cyberspace along side all those dead satellites. Speaking of which....did you get that message making the rounds about the killer asteroid headed our way.........