To your last point, although I try to limit my time visiting Facebook, I found myself reading someone's post that showed up on my timeline, only to take 2 or 3 minutes to Google the supposed subject to discover that either it was totally false or that there was actually a valid reason behind what "X" did that was upsetting them. While they may not like "X" at all, or agree with what they think they have done, if they can finally see that whatever "X" actually did do, or say, they may have did so not simply because they are the spawn of Satan who hates people who are not in this party or that party.
I also find that sites such as Snoops, and others which claim to be "fact-checking" sites (includes both right and left sites) are not that reliable due to the bias of the people running those sites. At least not in the last 8-10yrs or so.
I found that most of the time I have been able to locate either an actual news reports or some other pieces of information that were published about the same time of the event/issue that offer more detailed information so I can determine for myself if something is true or not. This does require a bit more time on my part, but I believe it also allows me to discuss the issues with a lot more confidence and conviction than others who may simple be partisan, relying only on a political party's talking points, or are, in fact, simply trolling with no real idea or belief in what they are claiming they are supporting.
I grew up in a family where we were encouraged to have and express different opinions, with the expectation that we could back up what we were claiming that we supported. Just for fun, at family gatherings and on holidays, some of us also took the opposite side of the argument we believed in and argued for that point of view. Over time, it became a badge of honor to be able to argue those points convincingly enough to have others actually believe we supported the opposite side than the one we actually believed in. It taught us to not only be able to back up our own claimed beliefs and positions but to also have respect for other people's opinions and views, even if we didn't agree with them ourselves. |
