From the article by NY Times Media writer Ben Smith – “In this day and age, people want something that tends to affirm their views and opinions,” Mr. Ruddy told me in an interview.
From me – Well heck, if that’s all you want out of “news”, to confirm an alternate-reality that matches your “feelings”, you can find that anywhere on the internet. Anyone NOT in search of truth, has a plethora of choices.
Any “news” organization peddling anything but the pure pursuit of actual truth, is not a news organization, but, a cynical money-grubber or a cynical propaganda peddler, and likely both. To the consumers of these false, alternative-fact networks, websites, social media (salon?), newspapers, etc.
I say a sure sign of a weak mind is one that can’t handle the truth. Which is why conspiracy theories are so rampant. People who ought to know better, believe and spread them because the actual explanation is too simple or simply less entertaining.
Again, I say, buck up. Be Strong. Do the hard work of parsing out truth that doesn’t match a pre-conceived worldview, and then stare truth in the face (it’s usually right there, if one will just open eyes and ears) and don’t flinch. Yes, it can be tough at first, but it also can offer joys and rewards unbound from the constraints of lying to one’s self simply to feel better.
For example – I am not a male super-model, I will never be a male super-model and therefore, I will not waste my time pursuing a career as a male super-model… I’ll try something I am more suited for and stop staring in the mirror trying to see something there, that is clearly not. See?! Truth. It’s better. For us all.
