When Is Fast Information More Advantageous Than Factual Information?
From past headlines of the printing press trying to revel in our attention span to a world where information and technology is becoming ubiquitous, I think we need to practice our common sense in order to process our thoughts. Common sense as in differentiating what’s real information in real time and the “fake news” for the jib jab entertainment purposes. But I ask, what is common sense when we are bombarded with articles on Facebook from Reader’s Digest “10 Early Signs You Have Cancer?” It’s really a hypochondriac’s dream. Fast information may not always be completely truthful and it’s sort of like a half-ass move on the writer’s part. But factual evidence, including the 5 W’s and empirical evidence is not always easy to digest on the spot. Factual information enables one to take a stance on world issues, but because time is no longer a free commodity for some, we rely on fast information from headlines or the radio. Our heavy reliance on technology to receive our news is ongoing, with increasing WIFI spots everywhere around the world.
For us, Y Generation, X Generation or Millennials, getting fast information may be a way to kill time from the dutiful days at work or during commutes. Texting can also be a way instantly connect with friends and families at the touch of a button, whether it be telling them “Get home safe!” or “Bring an umbrella it’s raining outside”. In disastrous situations, it could also save a life for a missing child or a criminal who escaped a mental hospital. Fast information could also be a source of inspiration and it leaves a lot for pondering of the imagination. But as I say, everything has to be a balance in order for one to not end up in the extreme side of things (ie. jumping to conclusions, meme creations etc.) For media companies, fast information is a way for them to effectively capitalize on content creators, taking Buzzfeed and many more as an example with their clickbait videos. I imagine that business people of the top management level are not able to process this type of information too well when they are used to reading pages of reports instead of reading tweets. Trump is out of the equation of course.
With so much going on in the media and the rising increase of false information due to competition in the industry, we are not able to pick truth out of the pile of ambiguity. These corporations do not care about what is expected of their audience/viewers, they want to pump out attention grabbing headlines because they know it will fuel our imagination. What we can do is try to evaluate the information to prevent from being victims of “fake news”. These types of fake news can allow us to be more aware of the information we are absorbing from day to day. It can act as an incentive for us to take part in more traditional ways to receive the news by reading the morning newspaper or tuning into a credible source of news media like CNN, or CTV.
