Libraries are Guardians of the Truth
McPherson Sentinel, July 9, 2010
We are entering another presidential election cycle, and those members of the public who have grown weary of the intense political rancor, arguing, and finger-pointing over the past several years are bracing themselves for an onslaught. A rational discussion of the issues facing the country does not appear to be in the cards, as a vital element in most such discussions is missing: the truth.
Although the truth may indeed appear on occasion during the political games, it often is sliced, diced, and spun into a much different form. That wily old fox Ben Franklin, who knew a thing or two about politics, observed that “Half a truth is often a great lie.”
As people gather and take in information with which to make decisions, many frequently assume that if something is printed in a book or newspaper or is broadcast on the radio or television, then it must be true. The advent of the Internet has added greatly to the amount of information and misinformation bombarding citizens.
A study conducted in 2009 by the University of California at San Diego found that the average American takes in 34 Gigabytes of information (the equivalent of 100,000 words) each day from various media, such as print, radio, phone, computer, and television. Roger Bohn, one of the co-authors of the study, noted that “Print media have declined consistently, but if you add up the amount of time people spend surfing the Web, they are actually reading more than ever.”
One of the most troubling results of the study confirms what many already knew: almost three-quarters of the information most Americans take in each day comes from the most unreliable media – the Internet and television. While the existence of publications such as The National Enquirer quickly silences any arguments about the veracity of the printed word, the Internet and television is the new high ground for forces arrayed against the truth.
Special interest groups and lobbies, political action committees, and now corporations are spending massive amounts of cash to bend the truth to their own purposes and influence elections. By October 2010, they had dropped over $220 million to influence the midterm elections. And with the proliferation of blogs and web sites promoting specific opinions and outlooks, the truth is fast becoming an endangered species.
What can the average citizen do to discover the truth in a world of rampant misinformation? Be discriminating consumers of information. Put the same amount of thought into selecting information sources as you would in buying an automobile. Trust only sources that have a history and reputation of excellence in presenting accurate reporting and the facts, such as Time, Newsweek, U.S. News, the major newspapers, and the Associated Press.
Visit your public library. Our staff can assist you in finding high quality information on the issues, from our collection of resources such as periodicals, documentary DVD’s, and online databases. That’s one of the reasons why Benjamin Franklin started the first public library in America. An educated group of voters was vital to the success of the new nation. And it still is. Old Ben knew a thing or two about democracy as well.