If you’ve ever played the game of telephone, you know that when a message gets passed along, it tends to get changed. The reliability of the message gets weaker with each time someone else relays the information. But what if every person heard it straight from the source?
Primary sources are the way to go if you want to clear up misunderstandings and stop the flow of false information.
About Information from Primary Sources
Someone tells you that your best friend said they’re moving away. What’s the first thing you would do?
Ask your friend!
You could feel betrayed by the fact that your friend would have this secret. You may feel embarrassed to even ask, but none of that matters. You only need to go up to them and ask, “Hey I heard someone saying you’re moving. Is that true?”
It wouldn’t be as reliable to “ask around.” In fact, merely asking the question to others would exacerbate the problem. More and more people start to believe your friend is moving, whether or not they really are.
Then, it may be your friend who feels betrayed that you wouldn’t trust them to even ask.
This example has its limitations, but it’s certainly a big issue in school. Elementary students struggle to find friends because false information spreads like wildfires and the truth often struggles to find its way out. This is especially true when individuals’ feelings get in the way of proper discussion.
But let’s return to the big ways Primary Sources can solve social issues.
Finding Truth Through Primary Sources
The media companies want power. The way they gain that power is by controlling the information that reaches you.
An effective media company will include ALL the sources for their claims, not just include some “studies show” comment.
A proactive citizen will question all the information fed to them, no matter what company is presenting the information.
This will separate strong individuals from weak “groupthink” groupies.
When you read an article that makes a claim, don’t trust it. I know, it sounds really critical, but I’m serious. Ask:
- “How did they get this information?”
- “Where can I see the original document/video/speech/etc.?”
- “Who benefits from this being true?”
- “What are they leaving out?”
This is a start.
You see, when people start posting en masse what they believe to be news, you need to be willing to verify their sources.
So many are unwilling to take the time it takes to get their facts straight before sharing and spreading false information.
Stop that. Don’t be lazy. Verify, verify, verify. Question, inquire, test things out. And then, make your decisions.
Only You Can Prevent Misinformation
Be a primary resource, use a primary resource, or be no resource.
If you can’t verify information personally, don’t spread it.
You have a lot of digging to do either way. Just make sure you’re using the primary source, or you might be digging someone’s grave.
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