I think we should drop the tired and overplayed hashtag
#fakenews and replace that with one much closer to what’s happening with
alarming frequency; #ignoringthefacts.
One of my twitter buddies suggested #youcanthaveyourfacts at the same time as
lamenting the prevention of the use of apostrophes in hashtags. A lament I
share but that’s another story.
I know I bang on (great descriptive bang on) about comments to
media columns. If I had any sense, I wouldn’t read them. I usually just end up
with a headache due to clenching my teeth. But it is a sign of what people
think and what they believe. It’s alarming how frequently in an effort to outdo
each other the keyboard warriors just blithely ignore the facts. Then along comes
the ‘like lemmings’. Dependent on whom the target of the assault is the like
buttons can go into meltdown. I sit here shaking my head thinking did you even
bother to read what was written? Or question the veracity of an opinion piece. Or
even check updated news. It’s blatantly obvious they don’t.
A graphic example was a piece in the Australian on Friday
featuring George Brandis and the Tony Abbott head-butt. The attack was
rightfully condemned as it should be. Then, Brandis stated the attack had
nothing to do with the SSM vote as had been reported ad nauseam through the
day. Brandis was attacked left right and centre by the key board warriors. Most
of them appear to be exLibs who salivate over any opportunity to stick it
to the Govt.
One of the more irrational claims came from someone who
accused Brandis of being useless. We could debate that based on fact. However, he then on went to claim Brandis should be sacked
and stated, “But, what else would expect from someone who wouldn’t step in
over the young lady from Canberra who was sacked for using an It’s OK to Vote
NO, frame on Facebook.” When it was
pointed out Brandis can’t step in, that was completely dismissed but about 50
odd people liked the original comment. Not one person acknowledged the response
that Brandis didn’t have the authority to interfere in a perceived case of
unfair dismissal. Facts tossed out the window. Hands over ears, “We don’t want
to hear that.”
For my sins I also commented that the only person who knew
why the attack took place was the attacker. George Brandis (unless he had been
advised by the police given an arrest had been made) and the rest of the know-alls were merely speculating. That is fact; any
claim was pure speculation. The key board warriors turned on me because I had
the temerity to state the obvious. I received some absurd replies. But you get
used to that. I was even accused of making a PC comment. How strange that a
statement of fact is considered PC. At least I dodged the “fake-news” slur.
As it turned out Brandis was correct. I suspect he was already aware of that. The attack wasn’t SSM
related. The attacker confirmed that in a media interview. A person who aided
Mr Abbott said no mention was made of SSM. In fact Tony Abbott made no mention
of the words SSM being used. It had been assumed the attack was due to Abbott’s
vote NO position because the attacker wore an SSM sticker. That was probably a
reasonable assumption to make at the time.
Hours after the facts became known people continued to bang
on throwing scorn at George Brandis. Others resorted to using capital letters.
The angry language used by the less articulate. Even more bizarre responses were
directed to people like me who had pointed out the updated events. But.. “He
wore the badge they cried, of course it was about SSM.” So the attacker
confessed why he did it, stating vehemently he just hated Tony Abbott and he
was under the influence. The key board warriors weren’t having it. Fact and
truth just hurled out the window again. It was all BS. Of course it was about
SSM. The verdict was ‘guilt by sticker’ according to the keyboard warrior’s
court.
Malcolm Turnbull didn’t
escape either. In response to another column on the assault people got stuck
into him because he hadn’t come out in public and said anything based on THEIR acceptability
timeline. “ITS 9am HE HASN’T SPOKEN YET. HE’S A DUD, SACK HIM.” Of course the
baying hordes completely ignored that Turnbull was touring. He had in fact
phoned Mr Abbott to check on his welfare and he did have the assault reported
to the Federal Police. That’s what a PM should do. Then later in an interview
on 3AW Turnbull was forthright in condemning the assault. Of course that was
met with silence. No, No, NO.. “We don’t want to hear that.”
People with agendas appear incapable of determining fact
from fantasy even when the facts are put in front of them. Research has highlighted our
collective IQ in Australia has declined. I don’t know if that’s a contributing
factor. Or if it is the case that people are so brainwashed they just refuse to
accept the truth/facts because it doesn’t suit their agenda. Or if they are
incapable of understanding what’s truth and what isn’t. Perhaps it’s an attempt
to see who can outdo each other on the comments bizarre meter (I really wish we
had one of those). Someone should come up with a bizarre meter emoji.
It was George
Orwell who said, “The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those
that speak it.” Isn’t that the truth!! It’s happening before our eyes. Truth and
fact is now considered irreverent and hateful. Why is that and how did to get to this point?
I wish I had the answers. For me, the scary part is that more and more people appear
to be buying into that. It doesn’t matter that what is in front them is true/factual
they are not going to budge. Whatever is driving this, it’s concerning. We
are moving into very dangerous territory. I just hope people wake up before it’s
too late.
Before I go, another gripe. We Over Play The Cry Wolf Card…
I feel compelled to say something about the
furore over Big W’s Christmas-less tree boxes. What a storm in a teacup. I’m convinced
that people just spend their days looking for things to be outraged about. This
is one of those instances.
Any number of items on display in Big W has Christmas
plastered across the front of the packaging. The tree packaging doesn't. Cue the meltdown. Up goes the cry.. “BOYCOTT Big W.” That’s followed by
headlines, news reports, interviews and social media rampage. Once the outrage
machine swings into action it follows a very predicable path.
I listened to Big W’s GM’s explanation of why the tree
packaging didn’t include the word Christmas. It seemed perfectly reasonable to
me. The trees are displayed in an area festooned with Christmas delights branded
Christmas. So you don’t have to be a genius to figure out the tree is a
Christmas tree despite the missing word. The trees come in a range of colours
and coordinate with decorations around colour themes. Nice; it makes it easier
to put your theme together.
Let’s face it. You buy the tree. You take it home and you
put it up. When Christmas is over the tree goes back in the box and is shoved
into the cupboard until next year. Frankly, if you don’t know it’s a Christmas
tree because the box didn’t say so, then you’ve got bigger issues to worry
about. Seriously guys, it’s time that people
took a chill pill. Save the outrage for those who refuse to acknowledge
Christmas exists. There are enough of those to go around. Leave Big W alone,
they are not one of them.
