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Quote of the Day: How Can We Discern the Truth?

Susan Quinn
@SusanQuinn
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If people in the media cannot decide whether they are in the business of reporting news or manufacturing propaganda, it is all the more important that the public understand that difference, and choose their news sources accordingly— Thomas Sowell

It can often feel like we live in times when it is nearly impossible to tell when the mainstream media is telling the truth. If a claim from them is outrageous, that does not guarantee it’s untrue. Events can just be crazy. Even when several other sources confirm a claim, there’s no way to determine whether they are honest or whether many are colluding on the lie. If an action is condemnable, it’s a challenge to discern whether a source is reporting an opinion or facts. For a long time, we’ve struggled to separate fact from fiction.

So, what do we do?

A common approach is to find a source or two—a broadcaster or newspaper—that consistently provide stories that turn out to be true. And comparing those stories with others helps separate the wheat from the chaff.

Another is to simply wait—let some time pass and see if the story stands up. We are an impatient public at times, and we want our news quickly. But time works against us when getting to the root of a problem requires maturity and a researcher's method.

A third strategy is to look at what the “other side” is saying. When they contradict your reliable sources, inconvenient facts or key oversights may reveal themselves. Or when you find a story has been ignored, their journalistic credentials may be questionable.

I can't envision a near future when we can count on journalists to be honest and tell us the facts. Even these strategies have their limitations.

How do you discern whether you are hearing the truth or a lie?

Promoted by an Editor

Discussion (27)

  • David Foster@DavidFoster

    Most journalists have so little comprehension of scientific and technical matters that they can't be trusted to report on anything such as energy--rarely does one understand the difference between a kilowatt and a kilowatt-hour, which is pretty important when you're talking about energy storage.

  • Stad@Stad
    Susan Quinn (View Post):

    How do you discern whether you are hearing the truth or a lie?

    I look at multiple sources of news. And when I check those multiple sources, I try to determine the origin of their reporting. Sometimes the origin is necessarily the same, such as reporting on a crime, and the source is a police spokesman. However, sometimes you'll get reporting that adds information from eyewitnesses, and that can either confirm or challenge the police report. Regardless, I tend to believe the crime was real, but the motives and perps may be different from what's reported.

    As for political stories, the same applies. However, I always have a heavy dose of salt whenever the story is based on an "anonymous source," especially one "high up in the adminstration" or "close to the person" that the story is about . . .

  • Susan Quinn@SusanQuinn
    ReplyingtoStad
    Susan Quinn (View Post):

    How do you discern whether you are hearing the truth or a lie?

    Stad (View Comment):

    I look at multiple sources of news. And when I check those multiple sources, I try to determine the origin of their reporting. Sometimes the origin is necessarily the same, such as reporting on a crime, and the source is a police spokesman. However, sometimes you'll get reporting that adds information from eyewitnesses, and that can either confirm or challenge the police report. Regardless, I tend to believe the crime was real, but the motives and perps may be different from what's reported.

    As for political stories, the same applies. However, I always have a heavy dose of salt whenever the story is based on an "anonymous source," especially one "high up in the adminstration" or "close to the person" that the story is about . . .

    That's good guidance for everyone, Stad. Mine are pretty close to yours, although you may actually put in more effort than I do!

  • Misthiocracy@Misthiocracy
    Edited
    Susan Quinn (View Post):

    For a very long time, we’ve been in nearly the impossible position of trying to separate fact from fiction.

    I reject the notion that it has ever not been thus.

    The difference is that there are now more sources to check a story against.

    People had greater trust in the news when there were only three tv networks not because those networks necessarily did a good job but because people had less opportunity to check the news reports against other sources.

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