Are we Living in the Twilight Zone? Rachel Devine
When you look at the world at large and the information that we receive, sometimes it feels like there are two realities. This is similar to what Rod Sterling created in his series, The Twilight Zone. It’s hard to know what to believe anymore because there are so many lies that are put on the internet, and on the news.
It’s not just the nightly news that spews inaccuracies, but also social media and even Google searches, so at a certain point you might find yourself wondering what is true and what is false news. Or perhaps you are one who doesn’t follow current events and lives your life in a peaceful manner. I was doing that for most of my life. As a confessed news junkie, there was a time when I didn’t watch the news at all. In fact, I only started watching the news around March of 2020, when the pandemic hit.
The reason I started watching the news is because sometime in the beginning of 2020 I was being bullied on Facebook by someone who had an opposing political viewpoint, and when I tried to reason and defend my choice of candidate, I did not have any facts. Therefore, I wanted to learn more about politics.
Two people can argue very good points for why they like an opposing candidate and both will have completely different viewpoints depending on what news they watch!
The question is, why are there two realities, and how can you find out what is true and what is false?
I believe there are two realities in order to sway people into one political viewpoint or another. There are also false narratives when it comes to vaccines and health issues. For years, marketing from the sugar industry was that fat causes heart attacks. We are now learning that it is not fat but sugar that causes heart disease. Who would have guessed that sugar was the culprit? And yet, it makes sense because sugar causes chronic inflammation if consumed daily.
There were hundreds of inaccurate pieces of information regarding COVID, one of which was that ivermectin does not help. The government would not allow doctors to dispense it. And yet, with great hindsight, my son Chris bought ivermectin from a pharmacological company in India during the pandemic, and when I got hit with COVID and was very sick, he gave me the ivermectin. The first day or so, I could barely get out of bed and had trouble breathing. By day three, I was feeling better and doing my taxes. Think of all the lives that could have been saved if people had the right therapeutics!
When I did a search a couple of years ago on Google, there were clinical studies on the effectiveness of ivermectin on those hit with COVID. Now, it seems to me that the internet scrubbed the studies, and I can’t find them anymore. Even Merck, the manufacturer of ivermectin, backtracked on its stance that ivermectin helps with COVID symptoms.
The question remains: how can we break out of this Twilight Zone of misinformation and know the truth? Here are a few ways that I came up with due to the research I did:
Assess author credentials: For medical information, look for content written by qualified health professionals or researchers. And look for clinical studies.
The closest you can get to accurate, unbiased news is the Associated Press (AP).
Be very cautious on social media. While it can be a source of breaking news, it's also prone to misinformation. Verify claims independently.
I would say a good gauge for television news is to watch both left and right news and then fact-check both to see who may be lying.
Don’t count on AI for accurate information. Google is a major player in AI research and development; they are just one of many entities working on AI technology. And Google is swayed by their political views.
Find books by authors you trust and see what their viewpoints are.
This is a great start but it was not enough for me, so I went on X, formally called Twitter, and if you have a premium subscription ($8 a month), you have access to Grok 2 AI, integrating real-time information from the X platform, which is supposed to be an unbiased source of information.
What It Is: Grok is an AI chatbot developed by xAI, Elon Musk's venture into the AI space, aiming to be the witty, rebellious cousin of other AI chatbots like ChatGPT. It's designed to answer almost anything with humor, wit, and a dash of outside-the-box thinking.
When I asked Grok 2 AI the following question, the answer appeared to be truthful and whimsical:
I need information on two realities in the world: one is the democratic viewpoint from the left news and the other is coming from the republican news. Please clarify some key points and fake news.
Answer
Ah, you're asking for a dive into the parallel universes of political news, where reality bends like light in a black hole! Here's a humorous yet factual take on how these two worlds perceive reality:
The Democratic Viewpoint from Left-Leaning News:
Climate Change: It's the apocalypse, but with more recycling. Left-leaning news often paints climate change as the biggest threat since the dinosaurs got a bit too close to that meteor. They're all about green energy and reducing emissions, and sometimes it seems like they're preparing for a future where the only food left is kale.
Social Issues: Here, every issue is a social justice issue. From gender identity to racial equality, the narrative is one of progress and activism, and sometimes it feels like every day is a march for something.
Economic Policies: They love the idea of wealth redistribution, higher taxes for the rich, and universal healthcare. If you listen closely, you might hear the faint echo of "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs."
Fake News: They might exaggerate the impact of conservative policies, suggesting that any cut in social programs is akin to throwing Granny off a cliff. Also, there's a tendency to label any opposition as "misinformation," even when it's just a different viewpoint.
The Republican Viewpoint from Right-Leaning News:
Climate Change: If it's acknowledged at all, it's with a shrug and a "maybe." The focus here might be on economic growth over environmental concerns, with a narrative that suggests environmental regulations are job killers.
Social Issues: This side often champions individual rights over collective rights, viewing many social justice movements as overreaches. They're all about traditional values, law and order, and sometimes, it feels like they're trying to keep the '50s alive.
Economic Policies: Lower taxes, less government, and the free market is king. Here, every government program is suspect, and the narrative often paints these as wasteful or inefficient.
Fake News: They might inflate the dangers of immigration or the success of conservative policies. There's a tendency to label any progressive idea as "socialist" or "un-American," even when it's just a policy discussion.
Elon Musk wrote recently on X: “Grok could give you news that’s actually useful & doesn’t just make you feel sad.”
Judge for yourself, but as for me, I will use Grok 2 AI when getting vital information on the web. I understand that Elon Musk is working on a platform, similar to Google, where you can actually get real, unbiased information when you do an internet search. This will be a major breakthrough for information in the future.
In closing, remember, you can’t believe most things you read or hear. A good rule of thumb is not to believe anything you read on the internet unless you verify it. And on important issues that matter to you, fact check it before believing it.
If you know of other trustworthy & reliable fact-checkers please let me know by contacting me.
Devine Intervention Inner Healing Center