Sunday Best is a brand new feature here at TIG that we plan on making a recurring one. Each Sunday, we will bring you a cross-section of interesting articles, links, ideas, music, culture, and anything else we think might be interesting or entertaining⏤the perfect supplement to your Sunday and one we hope you will add to your routine.
Reality Bites
Is it becoming more difficult to differentiate between what is real and what isn’t? What is the nature of reality and do these questions really matter in a post-truth world?
A fascinating and engrossing article at the Atlantic by Meagan Garber examines the blurred lines between reality and fiction on television and how they play out in politics and everyday life.
Another article in, a similar vein, from Vulture examines how the increasing commercialisation of documentary filmmaking in the streaming era has led some to question the ethics and realism within the genre.
To the original question: Yes, it does seem to become more difficult to differentiate between what are factual events and what is fake news, conspiracy theories, and misinformation. People’s level of information literacy can vary widely, and often, sophisticated methods are used to fool people for political or monetary gain by appealing to their emotional and personal beliefs. Ultimately, fake news and conspiracy theories are corrosive to democracy and can influence reality in a negative way. Misinformation is the enemy of progress, and as a whole, society prospers with progress.
“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.”
We can all be susceptible to misinformation. While it can be difficult to change the opinion of others, it can also be hard to change your own mind or admit you were wrong. The trick is to keep an open mind and not cement an opinion and be unwilling to accept new information as it becomes available. A couple of excellent articles I found from the Atlantic newsletter The Wonder reader goes into detail about cognitive biases, and also, how beliefs can be strongly tied to your identity.
More Reading:
Here are a couple of examples recently in the media, of minds being changed:
Paul Pelosi Attack: Rightwing Pundits Backtrack After Release of Police Video
It Is Hard to Admit Being Wrong, but Brexit Voters are Doing So in Droves
In both cases, ultimately the truth eventually came to light, but unfortunately, the misinformation does cause lasting real-world damage and casts lingering doubts for those unwilling to accept new information presented.
According to a piece in Big Think, stupidity is not just benign:
BONHOEFFER’S “THEORY OF STUPIDITY”: WE HAVE MORE TO FEAR FROM STUPID PEOPLE THAN EVIL ONES
A slightly humourous and satirical look at The Five Laws of Stupidity proposed by Carlo Cipolla:
Listening
Boards of Canada, In A Beautiful Place Out in the Country
This 4-track EP originally released in 2000 and released again last year, is probably slightly overlooked in comparison to the Scottish duo’s other well known classic LP’s, Music Has a Right to Children and Geogaddi. This EP is well worth checking out and certainly maintains the high standards set on the other records and has become a highly influential. The EP floats by in a dreamlike state, creating nostalgic, hazy textures and soundscapes.
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Enjoy your Sunday, wherever you are.