I like to think I *generally* understand media literacy.
I mean, I work in media. And I’ve worked on shows that cover the news! So, I know all about verifying sources and trying to look at things with a discerning eye.
But I feel like it’s hard to be SO vigilant about it? To always, always have some skepticism? And I guess we don’t have to have the skepticism when it’s a trusted source. But for instance, when everyone was saying Trisha Paytas gave birth just minutes after the Queen died, I believed it!
Now, it didn’t affect my life in any measurable way. And I didn’t tell anyone else, again because I was so unaffected, it wasn’t worth talking about. So, I guess it didn’t ultimately matter. But I did believe it.
AND when I saw a tweet from ‘Lea Michele’ that was just blank, and people were EATING IT UP, I believed it.
I don’t even know if I was meant to believe it, or if it was supposed to be clear it was a joke.
It was someone without a blue check. That’s the biggest giveaway. But I was just scrolling through, saw the tweet, and was like “I’m glad she’s able to laugh at herself now” without a second thought.
But then I felt stupid when someone said she needs to embrace the joke more, and I was like ‘I think she is!’ but when I went to look it up, I realized I was stupid.
These things are small and don’t matter that much, but it just got me thinking how many small things are going by me everyday that are potentially in some small ways shaping my worldview/my day/my life/whatever – just to not even actually be real?
[But also, I’m not a newspaper. i’m not gonna fact check dumb stuff like if a celebrity I don’t know gave birth minutes after the Queen died.]
So, I dunno. Like in an instant world! Tough to navigate sometimes, perhaps.