What we see is no longer what we get. An avalanche of unreliable and misleading information is spreading around the world at an alarming rate, particularly now, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Conspiracy theories and promotion of false vaccines for the virus proliferate worldwide putting lives at risk, say international organizations. In truth, the false reality we now see is a reflection of the calibre of the chain of human connections we have forged between us, of our human relations. We can invert this worrying situation by fostering trust and credibility within society by changing how we relate to one another.
This web of lies is the product of deliberate manipulation originating from within political parties and camps, big business, and high-powered decision makers that is cunningly injected into daily publications.
US President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order targeting social media companies in order to “defend free speech from one of the gravest dangers it has faced in American history.” The action was taken after Twitter marked two of his as “potentially misleading.” What is judged as trustworthy clearly depends on the eyes of the beholder. Social media has largely replaced the traditional media outlets as the main information provider. But credibility in the online environment is much more complicated and less straightforward than in traditional media. The United Nation’s Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) calls it “information contamination,” a problem hard to tackle since much of the misinformation is disseminated under-the-radar on social media platforms.
It is almost impossible to obtain reliable, factual information. It is difficult to trust the media to act with integrity, fairness, and impartiality. There is almost always some exaggerated description, false information, misleading quotation, or opinion disguised as fact in an article.
This web of lies is the product of deliberate manipulation originating from within political parties and camps, big business, and high-powered decision makers that is cunningly injected into daily publications. For this reason, confusion reigns in the world between facts and lies, what’s credible or not. However, if we take a step back and put things into perspective, we will recognize that society is not a passive spectator in this spectacle of misleading reality. We are not accustomed to the truth, so we pleasantly buy into the lies, even enjoy them, and pay for them. Where there is demand, there is supply.
Even if there were a truthful man, our false world would swiftly dismiss him. His truth would be interpreted as false. We cannot afford to continue to be the promulgators of division, allowing the egoistic nature that we have been feeding to drag us into each other’s struggles. The time has come to deal with the actuality of our lives and understand that we need real communication, which will open up new, high quality bonds that we desperately need to grow and spread widely. Such communication will not only be a source of reliable information, but an enterprise for social education, a tool and a means for ensuring regular and proper communication. In fact, what is needed is a new educational system for the whole society, children and adults, which would give us an accurate picture of where we stand, what needs to be fixed, and how to accomplish the task in order to enjoy a truly trustworthy world.
When this awareness clarifies within us, we will be able to correctly filter the poisoned information and establish a brand new media, a media that puts human well being first. This new media will be securely grounded in the fundamental laws of nature, the interconnected reality of the global and integral world, and will strive to maintain a balanced spirit in society and contribute solely to social union. A world in unity is a world of truth.