PUBLIC SQUARE WITH SENATOR REFORMED: When Falsehood Travels Faster Than Truth

PUBLIC SQUARE WITH SENATOR REFORMED
A Weekly Column on Society, Politics and Public Affairs

The public square has always been the meeting point of opinions, arguments and hard truths, and every Saturday this space will examine the issues that affect our lives and our nation.

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When Falsehood Travels Faster Than Truth

Misinformation has become one of the greatest troubles facing the modern world, and its damage is spreading like wildfire across families, communities and nations.

A rumour today can run from pillar to post within minutes because social media has given falsehood a pair of wings.

In the past, stories moved slowly from one person to another, but now a single message on a phone can travel far and wide before the cock crows.

Many people swallow information hook, line and sinker without stopping to ask whether the story holds water.

That habit has turned many homes upside down and has caused quarrels where peace once lived.

There are marriages that have gone to the dogs because someone carried a false tale from one ear to another.

A husband hears that his wife has betrayed him or a wife is told that her husband is keeping secrets, and before anyone gets to the bottom of the matter the home has already fallen apart.

What began as idle gossip soon becomes bitter conflict, and as the saying goes, a lie can travel halfway round the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes.

Misinformation has also led to the loss of human lives.

Across different places, innocent people have been attacked because of rumours that later turned out to be nothing but hot air.

There have been cases where a stranger was accused of kidnapping children and a crowd took the law into their own hands.

By the time the truth came to light, the horse had already bolted and an innocent life was gone forever.

Whole communities have also paid a heavy price because of false stories.

A single rumour about an attack or an insult against a group can open a can of worms.

Before long houses are set ablaze, shops are looted and families run for dear life.

Later the truth emerges that the story that sparked the violence was built on sand.

This is how misinformation works because it turns a small spark into a raging fire and makes mountains out of molehills.

Social media has added fuel to the fire.

Anyone with a smartphone can now spread information far and wide without checking facts.

Many people forward messages because they want to beat others to the punch, but in doing so they end up barking up the wrong tree.

When too many people spread untested stories, confusion becomes the order of the day.

Politics has also become a fertile ground for misinformation.

During election seasons false stories fly around like confetti at a festival.

Candidates are accused of things they never did and words are twisted until the truth struggles to get a foot in the door.

By the time the truth appears, the damage has already been done.

The health sector has not been spared either.

False medical claims often spread across the internet and many people throw caution to the wind.

Some trust strange remedies they read online and the result is sickness that could have been avoided.

These examples show that misinformation is not child’s play.

It is a social disease that eats away at the foundation of society.

It drives a wedge between friends, turns neighbours into enemies and spreads fear like a thief in the night.

The painful truth is that many people who spread false stories do not always plan to cause harm.

Some do it out of ignorance while others do it to gain attention.

But good intention does not change the result because a lie remains a lie and it can still bring the roof down.

There is an old saying that words are like eggs once they fall and break they cannot be gathered again.

In the same way, once misinformation spreads it becomes as difficult as catching the wind with bare hands.

That is why everyone must learn to hold their horses before sharing any story.

Before forwarding a message, one simple question should be asked: is this information true.

If the answer is not clear, wisdom demands that one should let sleeping dogs lie.

It is far better to bite one’s tongue than to spread a story that may destroy lives.

Media organisations also carry a heavy responsibility in this matter.

Journalists must remember that the pen is mightier than the sword and must not throw caution to the wind in the race to break news.

When the media stands firmly on the side of truth, society stands on solid ground.

Schools also have an important role to play.

Young people must be taught how to separate wheat from chaff when they see information online.

Students need to understand that not every message on the internet is worth its salt.

In the end, the battle against misinformation is the responsibility of everyone.

Truth must remain the guiding light of society because when lies rule the day trouble is never far away.

If we desire peaceful homes, stable communities and a safe nation, we must learn to treat rumours with suspicion and give truth the pride of place it deserves.

After all, when the chips are down and the smoke clears, it is always the truth that stands tall.

Senator Reformed writes on public affairs, society and national issues.