2-3 Blog: Social Media and Truth

How do I know what I know? Is it too pretentious to turn philosophical when answering this question to say I am the sum of my experiences, and that is the only way I know what I know? Yeah? Yeah, that's what I figured. 

But it is true - I know what I know because of my experiences. My experiences in education, my experiences stumbling through life, my experiences observing others. And much of that observation today takes place on websites like Facebook, Twitter, online forums like Oh No They Didn't (a celebrity gossip site that is a guilty pleasure of mine), LinkedIn, and even in the comment sections of mainstream news websites.

Here's a specific example of something I learned through social media, and the steps I typically go through when encountering information like this:

Without getting too much into detail, the subject of GMOs/Monsanto/Organic food is very important to me. My fiance and I are Paleo and have made a conscious effort to further change our diet to eliminate High Fructose Corn Syrups, only consume local, organic produce from farms we can actually visit here around Nashville, only consume meat and eggs from animals that are free-range/cage-free/no growth hormones/no antibiotics/fed their natural diets and not stuffed with corn by-products, etc. 

So while I am already predisposed to be more receptive to information from sources sharing my views, I still do my research. I found this on the Occupy Monsanto Facebook page, which I follow, but I'm aware that so much information out there is subject to the special interest and affirmation models of journalism, especially now. One of my favorite quotes states, "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations.*" I like to use this as a reminder to myself to be skeptical when reading information presented to me as "news."

When I see a graphic like this, I read it. I try to get past my own personal feelings of wanting to pump my fists in the air, scream "VIVA LE REVOLUTION!" and run to the nearest supermarket to topple over the tables of obvious yet unlabeled GMO food displays. And once I get past all of that, I begin researching each point made before even thinking about sharing it. I look up the basics of crop rotation, because I don't fully remember what I learned in high school social studies; I look up the basics of biology and pollination  I do so because the moment I share it, I take responsibility in disseminating this information - if its false, I share responsibility in spreading propaganda and false information, so I need to research. Those words become by own, and I have a personal standard of speaking truthfully.

I think new media is a great way to discover general concepts of new information. But just like Wikipedia, it should be treated as a point by which you can begin research trails to verify information and find out for yourself what is truth and what is just rabble-rousing.

*This quote is traditionally credited to either William Randolph Hurst or George Orwell. I've never been able to find a definitive answer on who is the actual source of the quote, but does it really matter? Its so true.

1-5: Influence of the Media

Social Media has completely revolutionized the mode of communications in my lifetime, never mind how it has drastically changed the function in which communications serves the world today. From the simple, otherwise inter-personal communications between my family and I separated by 600 miles, to the communications I put out each day for my job, broadcasting breaking news and official statements to the 14,000+ membership of our organization across the state of Tennessee, new media has allowed people to get in touch both instantaneously and at their convenience. 

I have a smart phone, and on that phone, I have access to everything I would on a computer. I can conduct my business via personal email as well as work email, making me accessible to family and co-workers 24 hours a day. I have my Twitter app set up for my personal twitter account as well as my work account and can seamlessly switch between the two if the need arises to live-tweet information to our membership during a legislative committee hearing. I have Facebook installed for my own, personal use as well as the Facebook Pages Manager app installed so that I can communicate to our membership via Facebook. And of course, I've mastered the Goggle search, cut + paste, type with my thumbs at lightning speed skills that have earned me the lead role of social media management at my job because my co-workers are still struggling to understand Facebook's function in their own lives.

And that function has changed drastically from the early days of social media. My generation is the cusp of the old and the new - I remember not having a computer and how big of a deal it was to have one at all, much less have a computer with access to the internet. Whereas my parents are still confounded by email attachments and my younger cousins are far more savvy with an iPad than I am, I still find my life dictated by the flow of social media. We post our daily comings and goings, no matter how mundane they may be because someone will identify, surely. We post pictures of our family, our friends, our food, we post graphics and memes that reflect our attitudes and beliefs on all things political, social, and religious when not too long ago, such heavy commentary in casual forums was considered faux pas.

You know everyone's reactions to national tragedies, scandals, and daily events before you've even been able to thoroughly research and formulate your own reaction. In a way, that is a huge negative I've observed due to new media - what was previous private and organic has become not only public, but its trendy. Perhaps one of the redeeming features Facebook has enacted recently is the ability to choose what types of updates you receive from your friends and how frequently they pop up on your news feed because it puts that veil of ignorance back into place. If I don't agree with my cousin's highly conservative, right-wing views on politics and social policy, I can hide him from my news feed all together. That way, it is not perceived as rude that I've un-friended him over his differing views, and I only have to hear them around the dinner table at family gatherings and holidays, just like the good ol' days.

But along with the customization of your information consuming experience is a responsibility I feel we all have, but seldom uphold. That is to make sure that we base said opinions on accurate, verifiable information. To illustrate the point, take the example of the graphics we've all seen posted on Facebook by a friend or family member which attributes a quote to the person depicted in the graphic and it is used to either support or tear down that person's credibility, depending on the preferred spin of the source. Often, such quotes or commentary are taken out of context or erroneously attributed to the target. If we all took a moment to research the authenticity of the quote or the source instead of blindly pressing "Share" and taking on the weight of that graphic as our own opinion, we would be responsibly sharing information and being accountable for ourselves and our own reputations. While this is just one example on a micro-cosmic scale regarding the ethical and responsible use of new media, it is one of the realities we all face every day when participating in social media. I believe it is worth exploring our own roles in the process and how we can positively or negatively contribute to the ongoing and growing influence new media has in our world.

Day One of a big journey

Today marks the beginning of my graduate career. I honestly never thought I'd get here - thought I'd squandered my undergraduate career, marred with indecision and at times flippant regard.

But I'm here. I'm intimidated for sure, but I'm here and I cannot wait to see how my experience working in the field of Communications can enhance my learning experience and vice-versa. I'm eager give my career the boost it needs so that I can get out there in the world and make a difference.

Let's get this started!