A recent opinion poll showed half of Americans believe the stock market is in decline, the economy is bad, and unemployment in May of 2024 is at an all time high.

None of that is true. In fact, the opposite is true. The S and P is at an all time high, the economy is growing by 3% per quarter and unemployment is at an all time low. So what happened to that 50% of Americans who believe the untruth?

Citizens have abandoned their newspapers and legacy radio and television news programs, and have looked to the internet for information. Really, what they are looking for is “news” that fits their world view.

Here are some things citizens should consider:

Legacy media news organizations are just that: organizations. In all news offered by legacy media companies the news is investigated, analyzed, reviewed, and often edited by more than one individual, often times many eyes see the story before its offered to citizens. It delays news somewhat, but it also keeps one person’s opinions from being reported instead of the facts.

Not so, the internet. If you are educated and have some common sense, you can see how news reporting has gotten so bad: its mostly opinion, now, not fact.

It is so sad when you discuss a fact with someone and they spout internet shit without knowing what they are talking about. To all: if you don’t understand something, don’t repeat it, and DO NOT believe it. Ask. A famous man once said: “you’ll know you’re smart when you realize how much you don’t know.” Oh, and “better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool, that to open it and remove all doubt.”

Duh.

Certain legacy news organizations have seen this and to survive have joined the trend. Sadly, some have brazenly operated as opinion spewers instead of fact reporters and the ability to discern if a story is true is hard, especially if we don’t like what we hear.

It would behoove us all to abandon the interneters, twitters, tik tokers and the rest of the pod-casters and snake oil salesmen who spout dumb stories which become news as dumb citizens spread the false word.

Look to, and support news “organizations” with layers of review and get facts, rather than listen to a podcast full of opinion. We can debate the voracity of MSN versus Fox News next time. To be prepared to discuss both, it might be helpful to look up which one has been sued the most…and lost.

Next time.

But for now, stop believing shit you read on the internet.