Don't Believe Everything You Think

I've got a little news for you...

Everything you see on-line isn't true. 

Seriously!

Particularly memes.  ...and I love my memes!

I have a whole folder of them stashed on my computer for future use. They can be clever and thought-provoking...and sometimes a little snarky and sarcastic.  Although, I would strongly suggest that a lot of meme creators check their spelling and grammar before posting…but that’s just me.

This is perhaps my favorite meme. The use of honest Abe is just too ironic!

For anyone who might have missed this fact, be aware that our 16^th president had absolutely no access to the internet. Al Gore hadn’t invented it yet (oh, wait…that’s not right either!)   

Every day some sort of mis-information comes across my desk, appears on my screen or is spouted out of the television or radio.

EVERY.SINGLE.DAY.

My beloved memes are quite possibly the worst offenders.  You wouldn't believe the things I've seen. Ugh!

I cannot single-handedly stop the flood, I don’t think I can even do anything to quell the tide, although I have tried.  But, I only have so much time…my fingers are getting tired and the Boss has told me (repeatedly) to stop yelling at the screen.

So…

Can I ask a favor of the world at large?

Could you please, PLEASE check the facts before posting that image or sharing that meme?  You’re freaking people out…and worrying yourself needlessly.

“The mind is a funny thing…

Don’t believe everything you think.”

-Lee Brice “Don’t Believe Everything You Think”

Doesn’t commonsense tell you that despite the number of boneless chicken breast consumed in this country that living chickens WITHOUT bones are a figment of someone’s imagination? Don’t you know that the words bacteria and toxin are not interchangeable?  Can’t you identify plants and/or animals by sight? Do you realize that many, if not most, images have been photo-shopped countless times? Does the person that you think you are quoting have any personal knowledge of the topic at hand? Do you? (and NO, I'm not sharing any of the memes that are making me crazy)

I find it completely ironic that what could be the greatest source of information in the history of mankind is more often used for the dissemination of MIS-information. Old fashioned human relationships, commonsense and personal knowledge seem to have fallen out of favor and given way to the sensationalism of the modern world of social media and the internet at large. “Facts” that would have been laughed at and never gained acceptance have become mainstream because so many gullible people have been taken in by their acceptance of the internet (social media) as the infallible source of all knowledge. Just because you saw it on-line does NOT (in any way) mean that it is the truth.

Who knew that Abraham Lincoln was so insightful about the internet?

Those “facts” you see on-line, the ones that are posted and re-posted and can cause mass hysteria are quite often bogus.  Totally bogus.  But, without personal knowledge of the situation, you have no way to know that what you see is false and by sharing the mis-information, you are contributing to the “dumbing down” of society. 

And remember…once something is posted…it’s out there…somewhere…forever…

If you come across something shocking and concerning or confusing and unbelievable (particularly when it comes to Agriculture) please check with someone who has personal knowledge of the situation before sending the image/information further into cyberspace.

Farming is hard work. Having to take time to correct the mis-information of the internet only makes it harder.

The acceptance of the mis-information is becoming disturbing in its scope. There are folks making policy that have no personal connection to farms and farmers and rely solely on the internet as a reference.  That’s scary.

this one is right (I checked)
It is also VERY true!

So…as a personal favor…

For me

For farmers everywhere

Please

Do a little fact-checking BEFORE you post…

        …and do NOT believe everything you read on-line!

Thank you!

This little video seems to prove my point.