By Bobby Tingle

 

Social media are becoming one of our social ills.

According to people in high places, foreign adversaries are using social media to infiltrate our nation.

Our foes allegedly use ‘criminal’ tactics to impose their demonic intentions.

These foes are out to disrupt all which is good and right about our fair land.

How do they do this?

They intentionally set up phony accounts to spread phony information about real Americans.

Frankly, this sort of activity seems more annoying than criminal.

But it begs the question: Do we really believe anything and everything we read and hear?

If you don’t suspect the integrity and authenticity of the items, which flow into your stream of posts, then you should.

We also attack one another using social media.

It seems a bit cowardly to do so.

I cringe when I see someone call someone else an idiot.

In most cases, the person hurling the insult is simply disagreeing with the opinion of the person they are insulting.

What is an idiot?

An idiot is generally defined as a mentally handicapped person.

You may need sensitivity training if you routinely refer to others using the term idiot.

Think of all the horrible ways we seek to harm one another with our words and actions.

Often sensitivity training is the antidote.

Recently a reader and I spoke about our differences of opinion.

The subject was tax breaks.

We assumed we disagreed bantering back and forth seeking to persuade the other.

We each argued our case. We used hypothetical examples to illustrate our point. We used leading questions to lure our foe into the trap of seeing the world our way.

Then we realized, we agreed all along.

We both oppose tax breaks.

Some believe we, as a nation, are more divided than ever in the way we think and believe.

Maybe we are, maybe we aren’t.

But the end result shouldn’t be calling your opponent names.

I don’t believe fake news is the culprit.

I do believe fake news is spoken, printed and broadcast graphically.

The problem is when we believe whatever we hear, read or see void of any critical thinking.

Our ignorance is often the culprit.

So keep your head in the game. Question what you hear and read.

Never call your opponent an idiot.

It’s not nice.

Bobby Tingle is publisher of The Orange Leader. You can reach him at bobby.tingle@orangeleader.com.