# I'm getting REAL tired of trying to educate people about the different between Fact and Make Believe **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 11, 2016, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-real-tired-of-trying-to-educate-people-about-the-different-between-fact-and-make-believe/774429 "2016-12-11T14:02:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-real-tired-of-trying-to-educate-people-about-the-different-between-fact-and-make-believe/774429/41 "2016-12-13T15:45:22Z")
> [@Evil\_Economist](#): > > All the anti-vaccines people I know are liberals (well, I guess Trump is anti-vax too, but he’s pretty much a moron on every issue). Would you agree that the overwhelming majority are not? ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-real-tired-of-trying-to-educate-people-about-the-different-between-fact-and-make-believe/774429/42 "2016-12-13T17:20:34Z")
> [@JcWoman](#): > > Do you suppose we’re heading into another dark ages? I am afraid so. At a minimum, this is the start of the Chinese Century. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-real-tired-of-trying-to-educate-people-about-the-different-between-fact-and-make-believe/774429/43 "2016-12-13T18:21:28Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Let’s see now… people who read the mainstream liberal newspapers and magazine believed such howlers as > > 1. Fraternity-boys gang raped a girl at UVA. > > 2. Michael Brown was a gentle giant who was trying to surrender > > Be careful when you throw around terms like “fake news.” Is this equivalency, or just outright bullshit? I’m voting bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-real-tired-of-trying-to-educate-people-about-the-different-between-fact-and-make-believe/774429/44 "2016-12-13T18:24:37Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Do we have—no, is there any hope that we could have, in this day and age—a Walter Cronkite-like news source that’s trusted by a majority of Americans across the political spectrum? No. Because “ratings”. Shit sells. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-real-tired-of-trying-to-educate-people-about-the-different-between-fact-and-make-believe/774429/45 "2016-12-13T18:27:58Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Case in point: > > [http://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/11/30/global-temperatures-plunge-icy-silence-climate-alarmists/](http://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/11/30/global-temperatures-plunge-icy-silence-climate-alarmists/) Oh yeah … Breitbart… the “alt right” (which is code name for NAZI) “news” rag. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-real-tired-of-trying-to-educate-people-about-the-different-between-fact-and-make-believe/774429/46 "2016-12-13T19:44:21Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > How about [the BBC](http://www.bbc.com/news)? Once upon a time the BBC did have a reputation for impartiality. Whether it was ever deserved is another matter but certainly in the UK it lost that reputation a while back. The last straw was its killing of an investigatory program into the pedophile Jimmy Savile. Few people trust what it says after that. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-real-tired-of-trying-to-educate-people-about-the-different-between-fact-and-make-believe/774429/47 "2016-12-13T20:51:07Z")
> [@JcWoman](#): > > Do you suppose we’re heading into another dark ages? > [@Typo\_Knig](#): > > I am afraid so. At a minimum, this is the start of the Chinese Century. A Dark Age, no. A moderately large recession of the human intellect and a Counter-Reformation to the Enlightenment, yes. And, yes, definitely the Chinese Century. A Chinese Century is not necessarily a bad thing. They’re more interested in markets and trade than in the violent exportation of communism. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-real-tired-of-trying-to-educate-people-about-the-different-between-fact-and-make-believe/774429/48 "2016-12-13T22:18:20Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Once upon a time the BBC did have a reputation for impartiality. Whether it was ever deserved is another matter but certainly in the UK it lost that reputation a while back. The last straw was its killing of an investigatory program into the pedophile Jimmy Savile. Few people trust what it says after that. I know its reputation in the UK isn’t as stellar as it once was, but I’ve always found its international service to be exemplary, especially in relation to “passionate” issues in a particular country where it can be hard to get factual local news on the matter. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-real-tired-of-trying-to-educate-people-about-the-different-between-fact-and-make-believe/774429/49 "2016-12-14T05:50:04Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Let’s see now… people who read the mainstream liberal newspapers and magazine believed such howlers as > > 1. Fraternity-boys gang raped a girl at UVA. > > 2. Michael Brown was a gentle giant who was trying to surrender > > Be careful when you throw around terms like “fake news.” Since we’re already in the Pit, let me point out: (1) You’re an imbecile if you think incompetent journalists pursuing a true story but not winning awards with their non-existent investigative skills is the same as _deliberate lying_ to subvert democracy. (2) You’re an idiot if you use “mainstream” and “liberal” as synonyms in this context. Most of us rational thinkers only _wish_ the mainstream media _were_ liberal. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-real-tired-of-trying-to-educate-people-about-the-different-between-fact-and-make-believe/774429/50 "2016-12-14T06:41:56Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Do we have—no, is there any hope that we could have, in this day and age—a Walter Cronkite-like news source that’s trusted by a majority of Americans across the political spectrum? How about [NPR](http://www.npr.org/) I guess those fuckers are just too low key. Not impartial enough.:rolleyes: or something. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-real-tired-of-trying-to-educate-people-about-the-different-between-fact-and-make-believe/774429/51 "2016-12-14T06:58:17Z")
> [@Eddie The Horrible](#): > > How about [NPR](http://www.npr.org/) > > I guess those fuckers are just too low key. > > Not impartial enough.:rolleyes: > > or something. They’re “liberal”. Just like the BBC. Just like CNN. Just like ABC. Just like the New York Times. Just like virtually any newspaper in America. Just like everything to the left of FOX News. The right wing has done an incredibly good job of destroying the credibility of any news source that isn’t rabidly right-wing, at least to the right wing. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-real-tired-of-trying-to-educate-people-about-the-different-between-fact-and-make-believe/774429/52 "2016-12-14T08:49:10Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > They’re “liberal”. > > Just like the BBC. > > Just like CNN. > > Just like ABC. > > Just like the New York Times. > > Just like virtually any newspaper in America. > > Just like everything to the left of FOX News. > > The right wing has done an incredibly good job of destroying the credibility of any news source that isn’t rabidly right-wing, at least to the right wing. Every news source in the world has some bias. Even if that bias is manifested in what and how certain subjects are even covered. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-real-tired-of-trying-to-educate-people-about-the-different-between-fact-and-make-believe/774429/53 "2016-12-14T12:54:01Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Every news source in the world has some bias. Even if that bias is manifested in what and how certain subjects are even covered. There’s a difference between “biased” and “unreliable”. Yeah, the Washington Post leans pro-democrat. So do most people who aren’t fucking idiots; the republican candidate was Donald fucking Trump and their policy over the last 8 years has been one insane and reprehensible stunt after another. Doesn’t mean their reporting isn’t usually quite on point, and worlds better than the best conservative newspapers. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-real-tired-of-trying-to-educate-people-about-the-different-between-fact-and-make-believe/774429/54 "2016-12-14T14:38:06Z")
It’s been said before, but it is worth repeating : Bias does not mean inaccurate or unfair. Every news organization in the world is run by people. Most of them are run for profit. These two factors will influence every story in every outlet everywhere. Bias does not disqualify an outlet from being a quality source of information. You need to look at a few things to determine if they are a quality source : 1.) Do they publish the truth? 2.) When they make mistakes, do they correct them promptly and visibly? 3.) Do they disclose their conflicts? 4.) Do they explicitly distinguish between opinion journalism and news? These are common-sense criteria. ---
**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-real-tired-of-trying-to-educate-people-about-the-different-between-fact-and-make-believe/774429/55 "2016-12-14T18:10:08Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > There’s a difference between “biased” and “unreliable”. Yeah, the Washington Post leans pro-democrat. So do most people who aren’t fucking idiots; the republican candidate was Donald fucking Trump and their policy over the last 8 years has been one insane and reprehensible stunt after another. Doesn’t mean their reporting isn’t usually quite on point, and worlds better than the best conservative newspapers. Why do the biggest shitheads here always try and point out how stupid other people are? ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-real-tired-of-trying-to-educate-people-about-the-different-between-fact-and-make-believe/774429/56 "2016-12-14T18:54:25Z")
> [@edwards\_beard](#): > > Why do the biggest shitheads here always try and point out how stupid other people are? The same reason the stupidest people always point out the biggest shitheads? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-real-tired-of-trying-to-educate-people-about-the-different-between-fact-and-make-believe/774429.md?page=2)