Here is an actual quote from Business Insider a few weeks ago:
“Recession indicator ends as cardboard box demand, prices rise: B of A.”
Yes, that was an actual headline.
It’s no wonder why people don’t know what the heck to believe anymore!
If cardboard box prices are a recession indicator, please save us all!
Disinformation and misinformation are a profound problem today.
With AI, this problem will likely get worse.
Everything is a spin. Everything is clickbait. The goal is attention, not truth.
And yet, consumers and voters need facts more than ever. How sad is it that we now need actually to see and experience something ourselves to truly believe it.
But what happens when you can’t even trust what you see or read?
These are real problems that we are all faced with – and will become exponentially worse in the foreseeable future.
So, what’s the answer?
Listen. Read. Filter. Check sources. Make informed decisions. Separate emotions. Understand your confirmation bias and counter it. Think logically.
If something doesn’t seem right or seems too good to be true, it probably is.
The rules have changed, but the game has stayed the same. Don’t forget that.
For example, in baseball, we have a pitch clock – a new rule over the last couple of seasons. We’ve seen several other changes, but the game is still the game.
So, why are so many pitchers going down with arm issues?
It’s easy to blame the new rules (certainly the agents are).
But if that’s the case, why did Nolan Ryan and many other pitchers of his era pitch without issue? They threw complete games, 200-plus pitches a game, or into extra innings all the time.
They did it with less technology, medical assistance, therapy, and with less general knowledge and understanding of the body.
It’s still the game. Different rules, but still the same game.
Just keep that in mind: the game never changes, but the rules do.
So, with information, media, and everything these days, it‘s our job to wade through it all and find our own path to the best decision. The actual truth.
Choose wisely. Choose carefully. You may only get one shot at getting it right.
-J.D.