To trust or not to trust...that is the question. The answer is not so easy. As young children we were told we can trust our parents, relatives and to an extent, our teachers and the police. As we grew up, we learned to be selective (at times) in choosing friends we could trust. We were always told not to trust strangers though...do we all remember the “Stranger Danger” campaigns?
With that being said, should we trust the media? Should we trust people that, for the majority of us, we do not know personally? Most of my life I was told that the people reporting the news and those in the media were revered. They told the truth and nothing but the truth, that sort of thing.
I am older than most college students so I still remember a time when I trusted what I heard on television and the radio (a time before the internet popped up). Is that the case now? Do young adults trust the media?
Findings:
Well, survey says no! According to Daniel Barker , "3,000 people between the ages of 18 and 29 found that only 2 percent of them believe that the media can be trusted to do the "right thing" on a regular basis." Yes, it says 2 percent!
Can we blame them? After our readings this week, I would have to go with a resounding NO!
Photo: Senator Weekly
Are there people who do put their trust in the media? American Press Institute conducted a study and found:
...a strong correlation between trust and how much people interact with news. People who place a higher importance on a variety of specific factors related to trust are more likely to pay for their favorite news sources (28 percent vs. 20 percent), to share content (55 percent vs. 32 percent), and follow favorite news sources on social media (40 percent vs. 26 percent).
In my opinion, this indicates some put their trust in the news sources THEY believe in and trust. It seems like if they are willing pay for news, they correlate that with trust. It does not indicate they trust all sources.
Did we answer the question?
We need to find a source we feel provides us the best source of news. One that we can believe in, maybe not on every topic, but on ones that are important to us. We still need to realize that just because it is in print or said on television, it does not mean it is 100 percent factual or that it does not lean towards one side versus another.
Could the answer be as simple as following what were told as youngsters? Being careful and being selective? And, adding in the question: To Trust...or Not to Trust? The "Stranger Danger" campaigns sure would come in handy these days.
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