FAKE NEWS MAY JUST BE BIASED VIEWS

REMY C. DATU

An English icon of classic literature made famous the phrase, “much ado on nothing” Millenials picked up with mema (may masabi lang, mindless chatter).

These character dysfunctions download to the mainstream as “fake news” which trending in the digital ether I consider as another dysfunction. For where is the dividing line between fake assertions and flashy advertisings? Who is to judge whose point-of-view, one’s honest promotion of self interest (read, political floats)?

Let me clarify I resent the proliferation of non-existent events or statements by organized and paid electronic trolls. They succeed because of the mental laziness (or illness) of those who do not think before they click. People are normally very cautious on an act, fleeting as it may be. But why are thousands so careless on the Net which entries are logged forever, as long as humanity exists?

Basic social virtues are often eroded when wrong values are repeated. Social anthropologists are one in stating the graduation of change: act repeated becomes habit repeated as character repeated as culture repeated — a nation.

What am I saying? Understand it with Prof. Ambeth Ocampo’s observation the extreme popularity of Dr. Jose P. Rizal causes his irrelevance to the nation’s consciousness.

Simply stated, issues are now categorized fake when one disagrees, vice-versa. Worst, issues are not distilled objectively as when Trillanes hits Duterte, forces are marshaled on Yellows and Reds. Or Kris against Mocha is keenly analyzed than that of Trump and Kim Jun Un on denuclearization.

Oh, well… surveys say we’re one of the happiest on earth. Geez, innocence is really bliss. Should we just adapt to Alfred Newman’s smile, “what-me-worry?”

Am I a victim of fake news or reacting on biased views, pray tell.

— oOo—

The author is from San Antonio, Arayat, Pampanga