Fact check, fact check

and fact check again if you are in any doubt at all.

There was an excellent segment on our international news service last night. It looked at some of the myths surrounding the current pandemic and gave people some straightforward information. 

Unfortunately there will still be people who don't believe what was being said there. They would rather trust "Dr Google" or "Mr I Read it in the Paper" or "Ms Friend of a Friend".  

It is easier to do that, especially when we would rather believe the alternative "facts".  It is easier to do that than take the time to seek out the facts for ourselves. Sometimes it is easier to go along with what "everyone" believes. It's comfortable that way.

Life is not about "comfortable" is it?   Surely a "comfortable" life would also be very dull. That's not to say that it isn't good to have the things we need in order to live - although they are surely less than we like to believe - but that we retain our curiosity. 

I wonder sometimes if we are in danger of losing our sense of curiosity and whether we will cease to make progress on the issues which matter to most of us. I also wonder why we are so ready to believe the worst case scenario when a situation is presented to us.

A family friend recently complained to me that his grandson had "pulled the whole thing apart" - of a toy he was given. My question was, "Did he put it together again?" The answer was "most of it I suppose". I then tried to gently suggest that perhaps this was a good thing. His grandson wanted to know how something worked. Instead of being angry at the apparent destruction of the toy it would have been good to sit down with him and help him put it together again. I don't think I convinced Grandpa. Instead his grandson has been left with the message that curiosity is not a good thing.

I was trying to explain something to young T.... across the road the other day. He listened and he asked questions. His, "But why does it do that?" was a delight even though I was anxious to get inside and turn off the gas under a squealing kettle.  Questions like that need to be answered if it is at all possible. It means he is likely to look for real answers about the things that matter.