It’s the era of fake news. Why we should care.

News of every kind is flooding the world, and there is something new to report daily. Added to this is a new phenomenon — fake news, which completely distorts the truth and plays on the minds of people. As a result, there is no standard world view. Depending on the spin and what the minds of people are inclined to believe or disbelieve, such misstatements harden the positions of people who are for and against such news, which pulls people apart rather than rallying them together. Although the concept of fake news in the media may be a recent occurrence, the mind has all along been trafficking in such behavior. A thought can appear real, offering a perspective that has no basis in reality.

Fake news, whether it is on the airwaves or originating in the mind, exploits human weaknesses of fear and insecurity.

The mind is an analytical powerhouse. It processes so much information on a day to day basis. From all the data collected, the ones that are most relevant to an individual’s habits and inclinations are packaged and presented in a version that brings out the highest amount of emotion. Just like dry news is boring to most people, making them turn to some other activity, the mind has an insecurity that an individual’s attention will wane and switch to something else other than the mind. By spicing up information, the mind remains the focus…