Be a Skeptic
The best way to deal with spammers, misinformation dispatchers, and rumor-mongers is to take a skeptical perspective. The adage if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is does not offer the same protection it once did, with the modern age's offerings of computer generated images and the like.
Contents
Steps
- Inspect and critically think about the information. There are lots of people who make up stories for the sake of doing it, but few who are really talented at keeping the manufactured facts straight for any length of time.
- Ask pointed questions, and expect specific answers. If someone tells you that they heard or read something in the media, ask when, where, and in what context. You can often go directly back to their purported sources and determine the validity of the story.
- Check other reliable sources of information. If you have access to the Internet, search the topic and look for authentic links like university websites or other institutions.
- Find the bottom line of what you are being told. In email circles, you will often see people try to lure you into believing information that is completely outrageous. An example would be the proverbial (almost) free laptops. Most people are automatically skeptical of these offers, but enough people fall for the sales pitch.
- Fact check everything you hear on the news. Many news sources have a reputation for misconstruing information and being biased.
- As a news consumer, be sure to write to newspapers, magazines and broadcasters correcting mistakes and demanding that they keep a certain quality of coverage. There are campaigns going on against "copy and paste" journalism and to get newspapers to cite and provide links to the original sources used in their stories.
- Cultivate a skeptical mindset. Even in the academic world, there have been innumerable instances of accepted facts being exposed over time as ridiculous. We once thought the world was the center of the universe but skeptics disproved this accepted "fact".
- Frequently test facts against your own reason. This goes back to listening to and thinking about what you are hearing. If someone tells you something and it sticks with you, you are more likely to accept it as fact if you hear it mentioned again somewhere else. If you don't objectively think about and aggressively fact check what everybody tells you, your arguments could be perceived as fallacious by others who have done research.
- Test statements for yourself when it is practical. If someone tells you driving with the windows down will save gas, try it out. This may not be a good idea when some television pitchman is selling a $79.99 gadget that can be installed in ten seconds and double your mileage, but often there is little risk if no investment or potential for embarrassment exists. This doesn't mean you should believe someone who tells you poison ivy makes an excellent herbal tea.
- Remember the results of these suggestions. The object of the requested topic is how to be a skeptic. Listening, checking, and testing will probably open your eyes and show you just how much myth and misinformation is being spread in our daily lives, and when you find this out, presto! You will become skeptical.
- If you think this article is BS, congratulations! You're already a skeptic!
Tips
- Join the Skeptical Community and keep abreast of the latest in hokey fads and dubious claims. Most major cities have annual Skeptic's conferences and there are a number of skeptic's forums online that will help you weed out the fact from the drivel.
- Look for friends whom you respect as authorities on the topic you are questioning. If they don't decide to "snow" you for the fun of it, they can be excellent resources.
- Listen to skeptic podcasts like The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe, skepchick and Skeptoid. They will keep you in the know and point you toward reliable information sources.
- There are great websites devoted to urban legends, email scams, and other misinformation. Sites like Snopes Urban Legends have huge databases and great search facilities, and they're free! Make a habit of checking out generic warnings your friends send you by email. Sites like Snopes have researched many of these and will tell you when they are unfounded or not. Just copy / paste the warning into your web browser Search.
Warnings
- Being a skeptic not only entails questioning the beliefs and statements of others, but also your own. If you are not emotionally prepared to abandon your own convictions, the full truth about them may elude you.
- Do not be afraid to call people out on their erroneous arguments. If you have done extensive research on the topic, let them know.
- Being a full fledged skeptic can have its costs as well as its benefits. However, if you hold true to your beliefs - for example, religion - being a true skeptic could uproot those beliefs you once held so dear.
