So, What's True?

Rational Nation USA
Purveyor of Truth

We’re hearing a great deal about alternative facts, fake news, that the media is the opposition party, as well as a steady stream of hyperbole and platitudes casting the other side as the side that a engages in undesirable and unethical behavior.  In fact neither the conservative or liberal media, conservative or liberal politicians are immune from bias.

 Bias is something all people are prone to. An individual’s environment, his upbringing, education, career path, and indeed the total of one’s life experiences shapes their biases. As a person ages and gains experience their biases can change.  Bias is a powerful driver on how we view reality and the world.

Another factor that often works in forming a person’s bias is their own self-interest. It is this writer’s contention that politicians are heavily affected by their own personal self-interests and as a result fail to serve their constituency honestly as they should.

To expect journalists as well as others in the media to be immune from bias is naïve. However, good journalists and newscasters are acutely aware of their own bias and are able to separate facts from bias and emotion. They fully understand their role is to honestly report facts that are supported by verifiable evidence.

Unfortunately not every journalist and newscaster, or news organization for that matter, holds themselves to the highest journalistic standards. For whatever reason (usually money or political agenda) they make the decision to play to their own biases as well as those of the American people and allow themselves to compromise the truth.

The graphics below illustrates the above I think. Truth is generally found at the center (middle) or somewhere near the center. The further you move from center in journalism and politics the more bias is at play. Extreme political ideologies are supported my extremely biased journalists and reporters and more often than not there is little truth in what either write or say.

Pay attention to both the X and Y axis.