Many are raising a concern over the proliferation of "fake news" these days, particularly in light of the surprising election results of last week. But those calling for more regulation of what gets written, posted to social media, or disseminated in other ways need to be not only concerned about such a proposal, but to look at history.
Benjamin Franklin, one of the wisest people in American history, was a huge fake news writer! As someone who teaches Franklin's writings, I love showing my students the many pieces he published (usually under a host of different pseudonyms) with the purpose of raising legitimate concerns not discussed in other public forums, criticizing those in power, or simply to give readers a dose of colonial humor. Did Franklin completely fabricate certain stories? Absolutely, yes! Was Franklin successful? Of course! Did it harm the country? No way!
Yes, the media landscape is more than a little different than it was in 18th century Philadelphia, but the reason for publishing remains the same: give readers ideas to consider. Whether in objective journalism or subjective editorials, more content is better. We know it can be confusing to sift through endless articles, links, blogs, tv channels, and tweets. But less is never the answer when it comes to information accessibility. Even if it's bad information, it's up to us as smart readers, thinkers, and consumers to seek out alternatives for comparison.
As I teach my young writers, a good researcher never only reads one source. If he is truly interested in learning something new, he will investigate other options. Censorship, even if it seems logical and worthwhile, is never the answer. Even amid the mess, your audience will find you--that's how freedom works. Write something better. Be more convincing. Have a stronger, clearer voice.
Take a lesson from Benjamin Franklin, one of the most prolific American writers of all time. He wanted people as educated as possible, and sometimes great education is gained from satire, or even completely inaccurate information. If you're frustrated at what people write, do as Franklin did: write more.
Benjamin Franklin, one of the wisest people in American history, was a huge fake news writer! As someone who teaches Franklin's writings, I love showing my students the many pieces he published (usually under a host of different pseudonyms) with the purpose of raising legitimate concerns not discussed in other public forums, criticizing those in power, or simply to give readers a dose of colonial humor. Did Franklin completely fabricate certain stories? Absolutely, yes! Was Franklin successful? Of course! Did it harm the country? No way!
Yes, the media landscape is more than a little different than it was in 18th century Philadelphia, but the reason for publishing remains the same: give readers ideas to consider. Whether in objective journalism or subjective editorials, more content is better. We know it can be confusing to sift through endless articles, links, blogs, tv channels, and tweets. But less is never the answer when it comes to information accessibility. Even if it's bad information, it's up to us as smart readers, thinkers, and consumers to seek out alternatives for comparison.
As I teach my young writers, a good researcher never only reads one source. If he is truly interested in learning something new, he will investigate other options. Censorship, even if it seems logical and worthwhile, is never the answer. Even amid the mess, your audience will find you--that's how freedom works. Write something better. Be more convincing. Have a stronger, clearer voice.
Take a lesson from Benjamin Franklin, one of the most prolific American writers of all time. He wanted people as educated as possible, and sometimes great education is gained from satire, or even completely inaccurate information. If you're frustrated at what people write, do as Franklin did: write more.