EDITOR’S NOTE I’ll be the first to say that we’re not a newspaper. We’re not. We’re a magazine, an editorial publication with opinion pieces and articles discussing an array of topics related to the Central Valley. And if you ever catch us referring to the Flyer as a “paper,” it means we’re merely referencing the physical material the words are printed on, nothing more. We do have deep aspirations to include in-depth journalism on our pages one day, but we’re not there yet. The reason I bring it up is that I find that people have a hard time telling the difference between news and anything that isn’t. It means that we’re losing touch with our ability to critically think and evaluate what’s in front of us as a society. Let’s face it, how many times have you reacted to a headline before reading or watching the entire story? Or didn’t double-check the site that headline was coming from? Here’s the harder question: How often do you look at news outside of social media? Because that’s the real kicker, many of us don’t go out of our way to get information from a variety of sources, making things worse. When we agree with a point of view, we’re less likely to question or criticize its legitimacy. We don’t wonder if it’s 100% accurate or if there’s some ulterior motive. Call it human nature, but if it sides with our beliefs, we absorb it as truth. And that’s exactly how social media works – it is designed to feed us more and more of what we like so
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| JUNE 2020
| FRESNO FLYER |
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that we stay on the platform longer and longer. And yes, that includes news. So, your newsfeed could look entirely different from mine, with a constant barrage of opposing viewpoints from not so credible sources that would ultimately put us at odds. And passionately, I might add. It’s become the basis for so many arguments that almost never find common ground. The root cause of a deep divide between our neighbors and us. You ever heard the saying, “there are three sides to every story, your side, my side, and the truth”? It’s probably the best advice I’ve ever been given about analyzing and digesting information that’s been given to me. It’s amazingly easy to do with media outlets I don’t agree with, but it’s an uphill battle to practice with those that I do. However, I make it a point to work through it by asking myself a couple of fundamental questions. What could they have left out? Who created the story, and what is the purpose? What values does it depict, and how would different people interpret this? Processing information through a critical lens ensures that the conclusions we draw are our own. It makes us aware of any motive for division and helps give us an openness that allows for common ground. It gives us a better chance at unity – something I’m sure we all feel we could use more of these days.
