Month: March 2023

The phrase “fake news” has gained popularity in recent years and is now frequently used to refer to inaccurate or misleading information that is disseminated through various media outlets. Fake news may be dangerous, especially when it comes to public health emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic, where accurate and trustworthy information is essential to halt the virus’s spread. However, the bias of the media toward particular storylines and the investigators’ own media preferences might result in the cancellation of genuine voices and the designation of their messages as false news. Dr. Peter McCullough, a well-known cardiologist and professor of medicine who has played a leading role in the COVID-19 pandemic, is one example of this. Dr. McCullough has pushed for the use of hydroxychloroquine, zinc, and azithromycin as part of an early therapy regimen for COVID-19. His studies and opinions, though, have been discredited in the public eye by several media sources, who have called them fake news. The controversy surrounding Dr. Peter McCullough’s dismissal as false news brings to light any bias investigators may have based on their own media preferences. People often have a predisposition to read news that confirms their preexisting opinions and biases, which is referred to as this bias. This effect may cause people to disregard factual information that conflicts with their ideas, which could fuel the spread of false information. Many studies have been conducted on the science of fake news, and it has been found that false information spreads more quickly and widely than accurate information. According to a research in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, those who are looking for facts to support their ideas find fake news to be more fresh and exciting than actual news. Furthermore, fake news spreads quickly because people with greater social media followings frequently share it. Particularly in situations where there is a public health emergency, as the COVID-19 epidemic, the dissemination of fake news can have disastrous effects. The cancellation of credible voices such as Dr. Peter McCullough due to the labeling of their messages as fake news can have a significant impact on the public’s perception and behavior towards a particular issue. It is crucial to consume news from a variety of sources and critically evaluate the information before accepting it as true.

We live in a difficult period. The world we live in is in a crisis. As one world comes to an end, another is only getting started. C.S. Lewis argues in “The Abolition of Man” that civilizations dehumanize without objective values, which are necessary for human happiness. The development of objective values should be given top priority in Alexandria’s educational system since it will help its pupils grow into well-rounded persons who are capable of forming moral judgements and making meaningful contributions to society. Paul Kingsnorth, the author of Alexandria imagines a time when technology has developed to the point where people can upload their consciousness to the cloud, thereby becoming immortal. Kingsnorth writes, “We will live in the cloud, in a mirror world that is a perfect reflection of the real one” (Loc. 1084-1085). This chapter connects to the future worries expressed by C.S. Lewis in The Abolition of Man, where he warns of the perils of technology and its potential to make society less human. Lewis argues that a civilization that places an excessive amount of significance on technical advancement will ultimately kill itself since technology will never replace the value of people and their intrinsic dignity. He writes, “We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst” (p. 31). In other words, people who lack the moral foundation required for a functioning society will be produced by a society that prioritizes technology over human values. This conflict between technology and human values is manifested in the debate over how to teach history and identity in schools. On the one hand, some argue that history should be taught from a more conventional angle, highlighting the accomplishments of particular groups and downplaying the detrimental effects of their actions. on the other hand, there are those that argue that history should be taught from a more critical angle, recognizing the harm done to marginalized groups and emphasizing the need for change. The argument over how to teach history and identity ultimately comes down to who has the authority to decide what version of history is taught in schools and how that version affects present-day attitudes and views. There may be hope for peace and a more nuanced approach to teaching history and identity, as the conclusion of Alexandria indicates. As the book comes to a close, Felix, the main character, reflects on how crucial forgiveness and reconciliation are to society’s ability to advance. The section on Alexandria and Lewis’ concerns about the future emphasizes the conflict between technology and human values, which is seen in the argument over how to teach history and identity in schools. The conclusion of Alexandria offers a way ahead for a more sophisticated method of teaching history and identity since it raises the possibility of peace and forgiveness.

High-tech developments have recently made it possible for new and frequently contentious ways to define and redefine identity, sometimes at odds with different cultural traditions. As people look to express their true selves in a society that is always changing, these contemporary worries about identification in our high-tech era are deeply entwined with the idea of freedom. Nonetheless, this search for identity can occasionally run afoul of cultural norms and conventional values, sparking discussions about the limits of human freedom and the function of the state in policing individual identity. The recent debate surrounding Amazon’s decision to remove Ryan T. Anderson’s book “When Harry Became Sally” from their catalog serves as a reminder of these issues. The decision by Amazon to remove the book from its marketplace aroused discussions about free speech and censorship because the book examines topics relating to gender identity and transgenderism. While some argue that Amazon has the right to choose which books it sells, others see this as a troubling example of censorship and an infringement on free speech (Anderson, 2021, p. 2). At the same time, several governments have been attempting to limit sex education and transitioning in schools for young people, including Florida. Proponents of these restrictions argue that they are necessary to protect children from harmful ideologies and to preserve traditional values, while critics see them as an attack on personal freedom and an infringement on the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals (Lemma, 2021). These discussions of freedom and identity are not new; they have been researched by academics and thinkers for centuries. C.S. Lewis argues in “The Abolition of Man” that the search of identity and personal freedom must be balanced with an understanding of the worth of conventional norms and the existence of objective truth. He writes, “We make men without chests and expect from them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst” (Lewis, 1943, p. 25). Anderson argues that acceptance of biological realities and objective truth must serve as the foundation for the search for one’s personal identity. He writes, “The most fundamental and nonnegotiable aspect of our identity is that we are created male or female” (Anderson, 2021, p. 5). These ideas are especially pertinent in the context of Alexandria, a city that has recently witnessed profound cultural and political change. Amartya Sen makes the case in his book “Identity and Violence” that the pursuit of identity can occasionally result in violence and conflict, especially when it is defined in opposition to other groups. He writes, “Our world is increasingly interconnected, and we have to learn to live together despite our differences” (Sen, 2006, p. 21). The modern worries about identity in our high-tech day are intricately linked to the idea of freedom and call for a sophisticated strategy that strikes a balance between the right to personal expression and the acceptance of traditional values and objective reality. The arguments over Anderson’s book, the prohibitions on sex education, and the debates over transitioning in schools have brought to light the tensions that can develop when these concerns clash. We may better comprehend these complicated challenges and fight towards a more just and equitable society by referencing the ideas of intellectuals like C.S. Lewis and Amartya Sen.

The book 1984 by George Orwell is a dystopian novel that explores the dangers of totalitarianism, censorship, and propaganda. The article from the New York Post discusses the Biden administration’s decision to pause a report from the Disinformation Governance Board, which was established to combat the spread of misinformation and disinformation. The report was apparently put on hold due to concerns about its findings and recommendations. This decision by the Biden administration could be seen as reminiscent of the actions of the government in 1984, which sought to control the dissemination of information and manipulate the thoughts and beliefs of its citizens. The government in 1984 actively censored and rewrote history to ensure that the populace only received information that supported its own narrative. According to the story from UncoverDC, NewsGuard, a media watchdog group, has contracts with the Department of Defense, Pfizer, Microsoft, and the American Federation of Teachers to assess the authenticity and dependability of news sources. While battling misinformation and disinformation is NewsGuard’s declared mission, the group’s tight relationships to influential institutions raise questions about potential conflicts of interest and prejudice in its assessment of news sources. The relationship between NewsGuard and powerful institutions, such as the Department of Defense, Pfizer, and Microsoft, raises concerns about the potential for similar manipulation of information and propaganda in today’s society. Just like the government in 1984, these powerful institutions may use their control over information to promote their own agendas and interests. A former director of the CIA named William Casey is quoted in an article by Truthstream Media as saying, “We’ll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false.” This claim can be compared to the government’s efforts in 1984, which aimed to regulate the flow of information and influence the opinions and views of its people. In the book, the government employs censorship and propaganda to guarantee that the people only learn things that support its own story and to silence dissenting opinions.