Why can’t we learn to notice the details, ask the questions, check the sources? Does it take time and effort? Yes. But trusting takes time and effort, too. It might not seem so. It might seem easier, but think about the costs of assumptions and potential corrections.
I noticed a post, linked to an article. The headline was eye-catching. The reaction count was high, but there were no comments. I thought that was odd, and I was curious why so many people liked or loved the link. So, I clicked on the link, which was a broken link. So, what everyone was responding to wasn’t actual content but just a headline and image. Interesting.
I wonder if it was an experiment to see how quickly people respond without exploring. If so, the hypothesis might have been proven true. The headline and image prompted an immediate, uninvestigated response. Has social media revealed this dynamic that already existed, or has social media created this dynamic due to the group think and constant scrolls? Has our faster reaction time minimized our consideration efforts?
How often do you like a post because you like the person or the idea behind the post? What if someone posts about how wonderful their spouse is but you know what privately betrays the posted values? What if an organization posts about a fundraiser but you know how some of the money has been misspent in the past? What if a business posts how much they value a specific employee or team members in general, but you know employees who feel otherwise? You can vent your reaction online. You can take a direct, personal approach. You can ignore it and not respond at all. What if someone tags you? It probably won’t happen often, but it’s important to know how you peruse social media, how you filter and assess it, and how you respond to it. Know your assumptions. Know your perspective lean toward suspicion or affirmation.
Will you click the reaction or share button without knowing if the link is broken, the claim is true, or the person is authentic?
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