I was told by a long-time friend that Christmas carols weren’t allowed to be sung during the Obama administration. This was just one of the many nuggets of information that was pronounced  with conviction during our conversation which included events that have happened and are happening in the world. Serious stuff like war, beliefs, and mass devastation.

I was sceptical about a few things he said. I wasn’t convinced by his ‘evidence.’ I was particularly doubtful about the carols. I did not, have not read about it. How did I miss it? I Googled. Yes, there were news stories and discussions about related topics some years ago. And, there were references to disinformation by political opponents and religious groups. Bottomline. It wasn’t true. It never happened. And yet, he said it.

I’ve known him for over 20 years. He is sensible and credible. So, I wondered where he got his information from but more importantly why he believed it to be true when it wasn’t, and still shared it when it could easily be verified?  

There’s so much stuff out there that’s persistent and difficult to ignore. Every day, there is a barrage of information in the form of emails, WhatsApp messages, news stories, podcasts, notifications, and in-your-face audio, visual and interactive advertisements. Not to mention influencers trying to influence/sell something or other.

Each connected individual has some 5,000 data engagements per day. That’s a lot. And, yet there is a certain type of information that tends to stick. Yes, misinformation. The type that is false and inaccurate, and remains much longer in the individual and public consciousness.

This is interesting.

Researchers at The University of Western Australia pointed out some instances of misinformation like childhood vaccines cause autism, global warming is a hoax, or President Barack Obama was not born in the United States. They found, “Rejecting this information requires more cognitive effort than simply accepting that the message is true. It’s easier for a person to believe a simple lie, than to have one’s mind changed by information that is new and novel[1].

Hmm. But my friend is a thinking, reasonable, rational, and well-read person. And, he’s open to discussions on any topic. We’ve had many debates in the past where we were aligned in our opinions, and when not, agreed to disagree. We still agreed to disagree but what was jarring this time was the information proffered was clearly, at least to my mind, fabricated, and too ludicrous to have any merit and yet it was put forth as fact. Why?

Also, interesting.

‘Misinformation is especially likely to stick when it conforms to our pre-existing political, religious, or social point of view. Because of this, ideology and personal worldviews can be especially difficult obstacles to overcome. This means that if you believe something for political or religious reasons, it’s far harder to change a person’s mind and have them understand a fact that differs from that person’s opinion[2]’

Hmm. My friend is funny and quick witted, and he has a wide network of friends. He is quite devout but does not wear his faith on his sleeves. I’m not sure where I’m going with this. The two statements are not co-dependent. I guess I’m describing him as I’ve known/know him. Maybe, because I’ve always thought and seen him as being well-informed and objective, I was caught off guard. To be fair, I too have some predetermined views about politics and politicians. I belief in God, although with the current goings on in the world, I’m full of questions and wonderings. Hmm.

Another interesting factor is confirmation bias, which basically ‘describes our underlying tendency to notice, focus on, and give greater credence to evidence that fits with our existing beliefs[3]. Some people, including my friend, might pay more attention to what they already believe. They champion or support what they want to hear and see.

I do it to some extent. I listen, read, and watch news/reports that I think are presented fairly, accurately and makes sense to me. I avoid obvious lopsided and prejudiced reporting especially by people and in places that espouse freedom of speech and democracy. It upsets me when important/real issues are overlooked, and obvious questions are not asked. Then again, is it obvious to me because of my own biases? Maybe.

Back to sticky misinformation. Apt is the quote attributed to Mark Twain –  “A lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth puts on its shoes.” Sadly, its truth that requires verification, explanation and defending. By the time the truth is proven, the damage is done, and indelibly imprinted. True.

What might help a little is a healthy dose of cynicism, a spirited effort at fact-checking (there are balanced websites), and a vigorous restraint in not saying/sharing/forwarding anything and everything to all and sundry.