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One way to control fake news/is for social media sites to police themselves. Government regulation may also be necessary. But in the end,/it is up to each one of us,/as individuals,/to recognize fake news/and to stop passing it along. Here are some strategies you can use/to evaluate what you see and read.
First,/admit that you don’t understand everything. The world is complex,/and issues like politics,/economics,/and medicine/are complicated. Don’t be ashamed/if you don’t know everything,/and don’t expect simple answers. The recognition of ignorance is the beginning of wisdom. The Greek philosopher Socrates said,/“The only thing I know for sure/is that I know nothing for sure.” Don’t accept the first, simple explanation you hear. Find out what experts are saying.
Second,/admit that you probably have some biases and prejudices. Challenge what you read and hear/by asking yourself if you agree or disagree on a “gut level.” If you immediately accept or reject an idea,/without really thinking,/think again. We tend to accept without question/whatever conforms to the ideas and attitudes we began to develop/when we were children. Psychologists call this “confirmation bias”:/the tendency to believe things/that support what we have always believed/and to reject,/without much thought,/anything that is different. Be critical of your ideas and attitudes. Learn to recognize your own biases. When you read or hear something/that your “gut” immediately accepts or rejects,/check it out with a reliable source.
One way to control fake news/is for social media sites to police themselves. Government regulation may also be necessary. But in the end,/it is up to each one of us,/as individuals,/to recognize fake news/and to stop passing it along. Here are some strategies you can use/to evaluate what you see and read.
First,/admit that you don’t understand everything. The world is complex,/and issues like politics,/economics,/and medicine/are complicated. Don’t be ashamed/if you don’t know everything,/and don’t expect simple answers. The recognition of ignorance is the beginning of wisdom. The Greek philosopher Socrates said,/“The only thing I know for sure/is that I know nothing for sure.” Don’t accept the first, simple explanation you hear. Find out what experts are saying.
Second,/admit that you probably have some biases and prejudices. Challenge what you read and hear/by asking yourself if you agree or disagree on a “gut level.” If you immediately accept or reject an idea,/without really thinking,/think again. We tend to accept without question/whatever conforms to the ideas and attitudes we began to develop/when we were children. Psychologists call this “confirmation bias”:/the tendency to believe things/that support what we have always believed/and to reject,/without much thought,/anything that is different. Be critical of your ideas and attitudes. Learn to recognize your own biases. When you read or hear something/that your “gut” immediately accepts or rejects,/check it out with a reliable source.