Many times when we look at the bigger picture, we lose the main idea. This can apply to many things. This can be applied to school, friends, and even jobs. A popular quote by Gertrude Stein is “Everybody gets so much information all day long that they lose their common sense”. An example of this could be when people constantly share a rumor without stopping and fact-checking it. In today’s age, where everyone uses social media daily, there is a surplus of information out there, both true and false. People have to stop mindlessly consuming media online. Whenever we see something online, we have to stop and fact-check the information.
Social media is one of the most powerful tools, and it allows people to connect and share information. And people have started to capitalize on this, especially politicians. They use topics that young voters want to hear and appeal to them. But many people don’t even stop to think twice about what they are hearing and start falling for the propaganda.
When hearing something on social media, people should do their own research before forming an opinion. When people consume information without checking the sources, they form opinions and have information based on false narratives. Anyone has the power to post on social media, claiming the most bizarre thing, and people believe it. This connects to Stein’s quote because people can become so focused on individual posts that they fail to consider the broader image. Rather than blindly trusting what appears on their screens, people should research using different sources and check the facts.
Many times, when users constantly listen to one popular opinion, they refuse to see the other way, making them blind to the truth. People on social media prey on this to capitalize on their agendas. This also ties into another quote “Preoccupied with a single leaf, you won’t see the tree. Preoccupied with a single tree, you’ll miss the entire forest,” which is said by Takuan Soho, a buddhist monk.
When we focus on one topic, we fail to look at the bigger picture. For example, someone might repeatedly see posts supporting one political candidate, and they begin to believe that candidate is the only reasonable choice without researching the opposing candidate. Relating to what Stein said. Although people see so much information online, they forget to use their own common sense.
The problem isn’t that people have too much access to information, it’s that they don’t use their own critical thinking skills. Social media gives anyone the power to post, and they can even post false information. People can pose as a medical professional giving health advice, and people will believe it. They also will make choices based on these false claims.
People need to know that just because an opinion is constantly being mentioned or repeated doesn’t make it true. Going back to what Soho said, when people focus on one piece of information, they are unable to look at the bigger picture.
By slowing down and seeing what information people consume, it helps them make logical decisions.
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