but it's fake. This is only one example of many. Fake videos, fake pictures, fake stories.
What are the implications of living in a world of information in which so much information can be faked and distorted?
News organizations have been fooled by fake videos and reports on an increasing basis. Even our own ability to understand the world around us is primarily driven by second hand information, more and more of which is becoming unreliable.
Will this result in a world full of skeptics who don't believe anything they see and hear, or will it result in a world of people who believe anything they like? What effect will this have on modern society.
That's why news organizations usually want two independent sources for any anything asserting itself to be factual.
Joe(except Fox. They go with their gut.)Nation
0 Replies
High Seas
1
Reply
Fri 28 Nov, 2008 12:39 pm
@rosborne979,
Rosborne - there's an entire branch of signal processing devoted to distinguishing raw data from edits. In pics, videos, coding, literature, perhaps other spheres as well. On this video, all you need to do is test the waves allegedly generated by all this alleged sequence of divers - just feed it through a program of this kind, you'll see what happens: http://www.claymath.org/programs/summer_school/2008/raphael-staffilani.pdf
You and Joe (hey, glad to see you're still alive:)) need not despair just yet.
Will this result in a world full of skeptics who don't believe anything they see and hear, or will it result in a world of people who believe anything they like? What effect will this have on modern society.
I think this has already taken place with politics. This is why (I believe) there is such low voter turnout for various levels of elections for government. Folks don't believe that things will change, and they certainly don't believe what comes out of the mouths of politicians.
0 Replies
rosborne979
1
Reply
Sat 29 Nov, 2008 07:16 am
@High Seas,
I'm not saying that it's impossible to identify fakes High Seas. I'm sure a careful analysis of any bit of information will eventually reveal the truth. But what happens when the sheer volume of bogus information swamps the valid stuff, will we have time to run detailed tests on it all?
Agreed, Rosborne. Perhaps if science education were more widespread we wouldn' t be afflicted with idiotic theories like anthropogenic global warming, ozone holes, or cellphones (with 0.5 watts) being able to pop kernels of corn.
There's always Snopes, for a quick lookup > http://www.snopes.com/politics/humor/zombies.asp
> but for a really profound examination of human lunacy you want to read a book by Mullis (Nobel prize chemistry 1993) whose title I don't remember offhand, but I remember a line that struck me:
Quote:
I don't go to psychologists - would YOU take your car to a mechanic who doesn't believe in the existence of different makes and models?!
0 Replies
NickFun
1
Reply
Sat 29 Nov, 2008 03:06 pm
We have reached an age when reality and fantasy have become obscured. We seek truth but it is hard to distinguish from falsehood. It's a good thing I'm wearing my aluminum hat!
Stumble It!
Tweet This
Bookmark on Delicious
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace