A small emphasis on a word can easily change the meaning of what you say. The same words can mean different things in different countries. The same situation shot from different video angles can provide different perspectives to the world. Today we are going to talk about asserting a claim.
The same gestures may mean something positive in one society and be completely offensive in another. Therefore, be careful in how you assert and express yourself.
Nowadays, searching for correct information is like looking for a needle in a haystack. While technology is making impressive progress and making it easier to acquire information, why is it becoming so hard to find accurate information?
Have you ever considered that we are the ones spreading misinformation everywhere in our life? Sharing hearsay, conjecture, information between friends and family on social media as if we are a hundred percent sure that it’s correct, as if we actually did a deep dive into the accuracy of the info before sharing it.
Here are some steps to prevent spreading misinformation. This is how we do it in PIA.
Reasons
The first golden rule is to answer these questions before sharing any information.
- What sources and references are you basing this information? How credible are the sources?
- Is your source or reference an expert on this topic?
- If you can’t answer these questions, let’s stay silent and start researching from credible sources until you find the answer. Otherwise, it just adds to the clutter of fake news out in the world. We’re all tired of hearing stories from your neighbors or brother in law or friends who pass off opinions like they are facts. And please no more wikipedia citations as factual evidence. They might be true but they could also be wrong, since anyone can edit a wikipedia page.
Turn of Expression
So have we reached the point of sending out and sharing all of our new fact-based research information from credible sources? Not just yet…
There are three more things we need to be careful about. The first one is the tone of our voice or if it is written, the wording. We are not planning to fight or win a war but we want to inform people with accurate facts. That’s why we don’t have to use insulting words or be condescending when we talk about these facts.
The second thing is how we are addressing someone. Being respectful is always helpful when trying to win over whoever we are talking to or targeting. Being confrontational or combative immediately turns people off and they will not hear what you have to say.
And last but not least, is empathize with them. Don’t forget that your facts might be someone’s wounds.
Rumi’s three gates of speech is useful in this case. ‘’ Before you speak let your words pass through three gates. Is it true? is it necessary? Is it kind?’’
Results/ Effects
Every claim we make has a reason and a style, as well as consequences and effects. Although you may have good reasons based on good reference and the right turn of expression, what outcomes are you expecting? As a positive impact family, we want to ensure our messaging increases positive outcomes to affect society as a whole and expect the same when someone else makes a claim. Here are a couple of questions that will help you to think before talking.
- What are the outcomes of your claim?
- How is it going to affect society directly or indirectly?
- Is it worth it?
Now you can start..
I couldn’t agree more with these words from Buddha ‘’Silence is better than nonsense.’’
We all deserve a clean world free of information pollution. Help us make it happen!