Fake News or News Fodder???

As a consistent presence on the internet, I've noticed the sheer power of social media. It's one thing to see something on your television set, react in your home, then talk about it for a day with co-workers during breaks. Social media is a beast of a different kind. Not only are you exposed to whatever story it is, be it real and verifiable or completely fake for all intents and purposes, there is a sharing of emotion on a level I couldn't have imagined many years ago. We have news sites (we can debate all day about which are fake and which are less fake) that post stories with inflammatory headlines and people react in droves, both for the good and bad. I've watched it happen. In about half the cases, if you dare to click on the story and read it, you'll find out that the headline wasn't quite accurate. By that time, there are hundreds if not thousands of comments, hundreds of shares and people are bickering back and forth for days. The internet is like a voicemail service. The information will be there when you find the time to retrieve it. If we view it that way, no story ever truly dies online. We have what is 'trending', and that isn't necessarily indicative of what is actually important. It goes along the lines of what story has been pushed to the masses and what is the popular Starbuck's Cafe chatter.

Here is an example:

On one hand, we have #pizzagate...

On the other hand, we have Kanye West having a meltdown in public. This isn't the first time, so what is the big deal?...

Both of the above stories hit during a very important situation that has been escalating without fail. People are being brutalized and no one seems to care. I take that back, they might care if they knew anything about it. I spoke to someone in their late twenties, early thirties. A professional woman. She never heard of #NoDAPL. She didn't even know there was an issue. Pipeline? Oil? Protestors? I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone!

Ultimately, not only are we being bombarded with fake news from mainstream outlets, we have independent news sources that parrot the mainstream news, satire news sites that look legitimate, and media fodder to distract from what is really important on all fronts.

Do you remember that saying, "Life imitates art, imitates life?" I truly feel like I'm in a movie. A movie that I've seen several times over the course of several years because the parallel to the reality I find myself in is uncanny to say the least.

Here is a snippet.

Don't misunderstand me. I believe there is a place for entertainment. I mean, how else would some of us keep from going insane? There are things that need our attention, which translates to our energy, collectively. Our water supply, the ritualistic abuse and murder of children, corporate welfare, climate change, planetary shifts, injustice on every level, etc. We need to focus on things that need our energy. Who is on bended knee during an anthem, breakdowns on concert stages, celebrity divorces, etc., should be on the back burner for most of us. If we are here sharing, trying to connect and hoping to facilitate awareness, then I am pretty sure you know exactly what I am trying to convey. All of us need to have a sense of humor from time to time. Laugh a little. Laugh a lot. Love and be kind. Share and exchange information. I've seen friendships grow out of less. We are evolving. The earth is changing. We are in the throes of creating extended families that I feel could serve us all for the better.

Thank you for taking the time to read my perspectives on current events. Hope to see your posts soon.

Love, Peace and Hairgrease
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