Fact versus truth

by Groff Schroeder

While decrying “a proliferation of fake news,” a local editorial recently appeared confused about the difference between “truth” and “fact,” advising readers to “seek out the truth and those that tell it.”

Truth is subjective. Facts are objective. The tenets of religious belief systems are “truths” that followers agree upon – whether or not they conform to physical reality or other belief systems. A truth of animism is that all objects contain spirits. The editorial mentioned truth sixteen times. In contrast, a fact is a verified representation of reality supported by physical evidence. It is a fact that the earth orbits around the sun. The editorial mentioned fact one time – to suggest that fact can have “a left or right skew to it, like + or – electrical charges on electrons.”

Facts are true because they stand up to logical, forensic, and scientific validation, but not all truths are fact. It is true that some people believe that electrons hold positive and negative charges. It is a fact that electrons hold only a single negative (-1) charge. It is also a fact that people “seek[ing] out the truth and those that tell it” could easily “stovepipe” information by selecting a small number of journalists and sources, resulting in the intentional or unintentional reinforcement of incorrect “truth.”

How can conscientious citizens and careful consumers of information differentiate between subjective opinions and objective facts and identify reliably factual sources of information? Read about political deception in books like Public Opinion by Walter Lippmann (1920) and Propaganda by Edward Bernays (1928). Be skeptical, especially of sensational claims, familiar journalists, and comfortable sources. Learn to recognize the techniques of propaganda including false comparisons, logical fallacies, “the broken record,” and “the big lie” etc. Get as much information from as many channels as possible. Seek out journalists, sources, and reports presenting every point of view possible, and carefully assess the materials they publish.

Everyone, (especially journalists), should routinely verify the information they receive against other reports and original, objective sources (recorded speeches, public documents, published research, etc.). Opposing claims cannot both be correct, and facts are neither fair nor “balanced.” (Would 2+2=4 vs. 2+2=22 make 2+2=13?) Completely and correctly reporting damaging facts is not “bias” - omitting or disputing negative facts is. Question sources that publish sensational subjective speculations rather than objective facts. Experience and skepticism can identify sources of information that report complete and correct facts – as well as sources that use incomplete, incorrect, or deceptive information to reinforce an agenda of shared ”truths.”

It increasingly appears that our nation’s enemies have used unethical news sources to skillfully manipulate many Americans into believing a set of interlocking falsehoods (what Lippman calls a “pseudo environment”) - greatly benefiting openly unethical politicians who faithlessly violate our Constitution, the rule of law, and our civil and human rights. This barefaced corruption and propaganda only intensifies the need for ethical journalists, television channels, and newspapers willing to provide thorough, factual information about public servants who reap great personal profit through violations of the public trust. We can work to defend our freedoms, our Constitution, and our access to information by identifying and supporting ethical information sources that reliably and honestly report complete and correct facts – while exposing unethical sources of “truth," their methods, and those who benefit from them.

Do not trust, verify.

NOTE: The essay above is the final version of "Fact versus truth," which includes significant revisions to the last paragraph but did not appear in the Colorado Springs Independent.  The version of the essay published in the April 5, 2017 issue of the Colorado Springs Independent appears below.

Fact versus truth

by Groff Schroeder

While decrying “a proliferation of fake news,” a local editorial recently appeared confused about the difference between “truth” and “fact,” advising readers to “seek out the truth and those that tell it.”

Truth is subjective. Facts are objective. The tenets of religious belief systems are “truths” that followers agree upon – whether or not they conform to physical reality or other belief systems. A truth of animism is that all objects contain spirits. The editorial mentioned truth sixteen times. In contrast, a fact is a verified representation of reality supported by physical evidence. It is a fact that the earth orbits around the sun. The editorial mentioned fact one time – to suggest that fact can have “a left or right skew to it, like + or – electrical charges on electrons.”

Facts are true because they stand up to logical, forensic, and scientific validation, but not all truths are fact. It is true that some people believe that electrons hold positive and negative charges. It is a fact that electrons hold only a single negative (-1) charge. It is also a fact that people “seek[ing] out the truth and those that tell it” could “stovepipe” information by selecting a small number of journalists and sources, resulting in the intentional or unintentional reinforcement of incorrect “truth.”

How can conscientious citizens and careful consumers of information differentiate between subjective opinions and objective facts and identify reliably factual sources of information? Read books about political deception, such as Public Opinion by Walter Lippmann (1920) and Propaganda by Edward Bernays (1928). Be skeptical, especially of sensational claims, familiar journalists, and comfortable sources. Learn to recognize the techniques of propaganda including false comparisons, logical fallacies, “the broken record,” and “the big lie” etc. Get as much information from as many channels as possible. Seek out journalists, sources, and reports that dispute your point of view, and carefully assess the materials they publish.

Everyone, (especially journalists), should routinely verify the information they receive against other reports and original, objective sources (recorded speeches, public documents, published research, etc.). Opposing claims cannot both be correct, and facts are neither fair nor “balanced.” (Would 2+2=4 vs. 2+2=22 make 2+2=13?) Completely and correctly reporting damaging facts is not “bias” - omitting or disputing negative facts is. Question sources that publish sensational subjective speculations rather than objective facts. Experience and skepticism can identify sources of information that reliably report facts – and sources that use incomplete, incorrect, or deceptive information to reinforce an agenda of agreed upon ”truths.”

In the absence of true professional journalism in the “post-truth” United States, it appears many Americans have been skillfully manipulated into believing a set of interlocking falsehoods, what Lippman calls a “pseudo environment.” Powerful political leaders dispute the very meaning of words and photographs, threatening our nation, our Constitution, and our civil and human rights. However, in an environment of increasingly conspicuous corruption, journalists, television channels, newspapers, and other information sources are essential to protect the public interest from public servants who reap personal profit from their positions of public trust. Identifying, supporting, and citing sources that reliably perform the boring, difficult, and sometimes dangerous work of researching and reporting complete and correct facts – and rejecting sources that promote self serving “truths” while ignoring or concealing politically inconvenient facts – can protect both our access to factual information, and our freedoms.

Do not trust, verify.

"Fact versus truth" appeared in the April 5, 2017 issue of the Colorado Springs Independent with the quotation below.

"There can be no liberty for a community which lacks the ability to detect lies."  Walter Lippmann