Know Thou What You Post

1. Snopes is your friend. Always check www.snopes.com and www.hoax-slayer.com . You will discover that sad “I am Meth” poem was written not by a teen locked up for doing meth, but by a middle-aged woman in Oklahoma who has never done meth and that soldiers are not actually going hungry, but they are eating MRE’s for breakfast as they transition to local control. While you’re at it try liking a few pages like Politifact and Skeptical Spectacles. While you’re at it, like a few pages of humor so you don’t take yourself too seriously.

2. Know what you are talking about. If an article talks about a particular law or treaty at least read a synopsis or two about that law or treaty.

3. If only one site is posting an article and no one else is, you have found an extremely unreliable source. The same is true if all sites that are reporting are using the exact same article as the source or actually just re-posting the article.

4. A site containing clearly political leanings in its title, such as Being Liberal or Conservative Daily, is not a valid source of information.

5. A meme does not make it true even if the meme has statistics. You would be surprised how many statistics are manipulated or even made up to make a case.

6. Conspiracy theories are called that for a reason. There are no strange bases or statues or faces on the moon, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars or any other planet in the solar system. 

7. Politicians lie. Some are just better at it than others. Posting a quote from one does not mean it is true or accurate. The politician is playing to the base.

8. If an article says some scientists in such and such a place have stated and then mentions one by name, some just became one scientist. 

9. A study is not all studies. 

10. It is okay to believe or support things that are not a part of your group’s cannon. It makes you informed. It makes you a critical thinker. It forces you to think about the stances you take and allows you to stand out from the herd. 

11. Listening to right-wing or left-wing talk shows constantly is bad for your soul and your own ability to think. A steady diet of Rush, Hannity, Lawrence, or Schultz is like dining at MacDonald’s and ordering two Big Macs, large fries and the biggest drink every day. It cannot be good for you. The pundit’s job is to rile the base and truth be damned.

12. Actually read the article carefully.