Where do you source your information?

How do you validate it?

I’ll be the first to agree that it’s impossible to validate all the information that’s needed to navigate a day, let alone a lifetime. And that sometimes there’s a need to blindly trust, or have faith, that the information you’re receiving is accurate at that moment.

But why is it important to think about where you get your information?

Because it’s one of the most powerful influences on how you think and what you think about?

Unfortunately, not all purveyors of information have your best interests at heart. In fact, I would argue that most don’t. The majority of information available to you is designed to coerce and influence you to behave and think in ways that benefit the provider of the information.

Now I know I might be sounding a little conspiratorial, so let me pose a question for you to ponder.

How many newsworthy events do you think occur in a day?

If you consider there are over seven billion people globally, the estimate of newsworthy events would be in the millions. It’s obviously impossible to collect information and report on millions of events, so the conveyers of information must filter down to a select few to share with you.

The question is, how do they decide what they want you to know?

Is their answer based on what’s best for you, or what will keep you coming back to them?

I’m going to bet it’s the latter.

I know it’s tempting to want to stay informed because doing so makes you feel better about yourself. And beats being considered ignorant. But I’m not recommending ignorance. I’m encouraging inquiry and vigilance.

So, as you go through your day consuming information, occasionally pause for a moment, and question the validity of the source. Consider the motives of the purveyor and whose best interests they are seeking to fulfill.

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