Misinformation - Blog #7 (COM 616)

It’s not uncommon in today’s media to look around and see an urgency for literacy of both media intake and output. As Arnett, Fritz, and Bell state, “We are no longer in a time of information increase alone, but in an era of responsibility increase as well, a time to learn and engage information that we do not know and would not even care to know (p. 220).” We live in a society that regardless of where the information comes from, we are responsible, as those who share it, to engage thoughtfully with the information being provided to us.

In researching my initial final paper topic of misinformation, a majority of articles I found were tinged with bias and unreliable sources. The articles were less about the information that was incorrect and why, and more about the parties responsible. I noticed this online on my social media platforms as friends and even family members took to social media to voice opinions, share articles, and even engage in dialogue surrounding the events of the past few weeks. These responses and shares ranged from a political, social, and global standpoint on a variety of issues. Although there were some who used their platforms as opportunities for thoughtful and intentional dialogue, there were others who shared without intent of taking responsibility for the information they were promoting and were refusing to acknowledge there was another opinion other than their own. Even others who seemed to agree were quickly shot down due to their wording or the way they communicated their responses.

In discussing the pragmatics of dialogic ethics, Arnett, Fritz, and Bell provide us with Henrich and Christopher’s viewpoints on one topic (p. 223). Just allowing for another’s viewpoint not only provides the ability for a civil discourse and potential mutual understanding about a given subject regardless of actual agreeability. The ability to not only engage in thoughtful dialogue, but actually empower others to participate, is a lost art form with the social media and instant-world that we live in now. Without those who encourage and prefer a thoughtful and educated dialogue, the cycle of misinformation and misunderstandings will continue.

References

Arnett, R.C., Harden-Fritz, J. M. & Bell, L. M. (2008). Communication ethics literacy: Dialogue    and difference. Los Angeles: Sage.