Campus Watch

It’s All Up to You Now

By: Lance Sherwin Odono
 
We are growing old, we will make mistakes further along our paths more than we
could have possibly thought of, we will regret, assess, be chastised for, or forgive
some of them, either by ourselves or others, but also by the very world we live in.
We are growing old, we are in a time in history where information, the right kind or
not, is the currency and the pitfall, and today we are more exposed to multiple
sources and angles for such information than ever before.
 
Today’s time is different, for as long as indoctrination has existed, it has not been
more possible for it to influence people than now, knowing better than to simply
absorb information through confirmation bias and being mindful enough to
challenge a claim, is a weapon of necessity in today’s times.
 
A prevalent cause would be the ever so growing and expansion of the internet, of
course with the opening of more information there arises a necessity to access them,
being provided with multiple sources is a hazard for identifying an objectively
optimal stand for anyone naïve enough.
 
A side effect of course would be the infamous prevalence of fake news.
Misinformation and disinformation, have always been a struggle here in our country,
and lies that are crafted specifically for a demographic to play to their subjectivities,
are much more difficult to deal with and overcome.
 
And of course, anyone could be susceptible to that, but the ones who will always be
at the forefront of all the chaos would be the younger generation. And with today’s
youth with a politically pro-active mindset and a lack of full understanding, it is a trap
that is waiting to be sprung.
 
So be careful, there is good in the world but just as much evil, you will meet them, in
various shapes and forms. So read books, good books, don’t just listen think, when a
tweet confirms your biases, and you do have them, think, there’s no good in having
to express the same opinion as someone else if you’re not sure yourself why it’s the
objectively correct stand.
 
We are growing old, in a time where we have to be responsible and accountable for
the words and actions that we expose to the wider public, consequences are graver
applying to multiple levels and branches in our society, and knowing how to think
critically for yourself is a skill that’s needed in a person now more than ever.
 
It is a dangerous world out there, you will need to arm yourself with objectivity,
patience, and a well-educated mind, do not fall into seduction of “truths”
masqueraded with false information bedazzled with biases, you will need to think
more if you want to leave this world better than you found it, and learning how to
think will always be your choice.
 
“when a tweet confirms your biases, and you do have them, think, there’s no good in
having to express the same opinion as someone else if you’re not sure yourself why
it’s the objectively correct stand”