“In an era when fake news is prevalent and misinformation can be quickly conveyed via social and mainstream media, does truth really matter? Should it?”
Should The Truth Matter?
Misinformation is everywhere. When you look at your TV or your phone there is a good chance that you will encounter a news article that will be partially or completely fake. Whether the article is in the local news or on twitter it will be full of misinformation. With misinformation or "fake news" being spread throughout the world, how can people determine the truth? With all of this misinformation being spread to everyone. "Does the truth really matter, should the truth matter?"
“Does the truth really matter?” This is a question that is, unfortunately, a part of our lives today. The truth matters more when it is information that is spread out to the masses and used influence millions of people. Untruthful statements can and will be damaging to both the reputation of the source and to the receiver(s) of the information and their peers. “Should truth matter?” I believe that truth does matter. Although there can be exceptions, if you must lie to get the complete truth to truly help society as a whole then you may need to lie. The use of lying does have its drawbacks. The Times states, “Whatever the medium, we tell our audiences the complete, unvarnished truth as best we can learn it.”
Now you could ask “how do you embrace misinformation?” For example, look at President Trump’s campaign slogan “Make America Great Again”. This was plastered everywhere and convincing voters that America was no longer a great country. This slogan designed to persuade Americans that our country has fallen down and that President Trump would have the solution. The slogan greatly affected the sense of pride in Americans and greatly influenced their actions. This slogan was in itself misinformation. When in fact the United States is still “one of a kind”, with proud citizens everywhere. There is a reason why people always want to live here. America has good jobs, industries, education, and a great sense of national pride.
In the Article “How Not to Talk to an Ape Smuggler” by New York Times journalist Jeffrey Gettleman, He discusses during a sting on an ape smuggling ring that, "The Times has a clear policy that we don't misrepresent ourselves and pretend not to be reporters. Our feeling is that we shouldn't lie to find the truth" This principle created a dilemma for Gettleman when the ape smuggler "Tom" called his room saying that the apes were ready to be picked up. Being a journalist Gettleman naturally wanted to ask questions but that could put him at risk of having to conceal his true identity, therefore lying, and ignoring the principles that the Times has on truthfulness (Gettleman. How not to talk to an ape smuggler). Upon further research, this does coincide with the Times policies and can be seen clearly in their standards and ethics page online (Standards and Ethics. nytimes.com).
“Does the truth matter, and should truth matter?" Without going into a philosophical debate of what truth is because it has some basic structures that most people can agree on. Yes, the truth matters without truth, without it people would have so much distrust society would just spiral into chaos. Should the truth matter? Also yes, the truth is a basic foundation and like my previous statement without it, society would not survive. While some could argue that truth may not be an option in some cases. If the truth is not an option in that situation then either you have not used the entire truth to get there, or the source of the situation has something to do with non-truths.
In conclusion, Misinformation is everywhere. With people readily soaking it up or ignoring it. Misinformation is in the News (local and nationwide), Twitter, Facebook, and just about anywhere you look. You can, however, try your best to seek that information using the truth and presenting whole complete truths to your peers. Maybe next time you tweet, like, forward an article you will think twice about what it is, who gathered the information, and how credible the person is. The way society works depends on it.
Works Cited
Gettleman, Jeffery. “How Not to Talk to an Ape Smuggler.” The New York Times, 5 Nov. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/11/04/insider/how-not-to-talk-to-an-ape-smuggler.html.
“Standards and Ethics.” The New York Times Company, 2018, www.nytco.com/who-we-are/culture/standards-and-ethics/.