What+Do+We+Know+Precis+with+Powerpoint+Postings&nbsp;8th+Period



Caroline Lartz Rachel Vazquez 1/31/08 In the article “What Do We Know?” it is suggested that the American public is constantly bombarded with different types of misleading information from the media. Because of our inability to distinguish between false and accurate information, we are forced to base our decisions on our emotional preferences and experiences. In general, humanity is stuck in a state of ignorance with no solution. The role of messages and perception is discussed and is found to be misleading. Contrary to common belief, messages themselves do not carry meaning. The receiver assigns meaning to certain cues in messages based on personal experience. Because of our limited experiences the conclusions we draw from messages are restricted. These messages are relayed to us via the media which is an unreliable and biased source. Their sole concern is raising ratings and improving sales, not transmitting adequate and accurate information. False information is divided into four categories: misinformation, disinformation, anti-information, and semi-information. Misinformation is the form most commonly used by the government and the military; it is deliberate lying to cover up mistakes. Disinformation is similar to misinformation in that it involves lying but that is not its sole purpose. It is used to divert attention from the actual information and to distract the audience from reality. This is the form most commonly known as doublespeak or circumlocution. Anti-information is a concluding statement designed to stop questions. It displaces the inquiry from the original subject to another. The final and most dangerous form of information is semi-information which provides accurate information that is completely unrelated to the topic at hand. It is used to create a false sense of understanding in the people it is trying to confuse. Due to the technological advances in our society, printed media has become almost completely obsolete to the average person. Because of this, we rely on other forms of media (television, radio, etc.) for our information. Unfortunately, the information we receive from these sources is often skewed, incomplete, and biased. Because the news industry has become such a commercial empire, the information comes from many unreliable sources. This inadequate information is also subject to the biased opinion of the news station. In some cases, the news media alters the information to make it more pleasing to the public. Thus, the American public is fooled into thinking what they’re hearing and/or seeing is correct. Because of the bombardment of information from various media sources, we are unable to decipher any useful and real information. Because we can’t tell the difference between accurate and false information, we can never know the absolute truth. People cannot understand a concept unless they have an emotional attachment to it. Without an emotional sense of security, we are unable to learn the truth. If we do not know the truth, we cannot practice it. If we do not use this truth daily, we forget it and our ability to recognize it. Therefore, the American public is transformed into a helpless and destitute society. From the abundance of false information that bombards us from various media forms, primarily television and radio, humanity has lost its ability to differentiate between the truth and lies. We fall victim to various forms of misinformation, disinformation, semi-information, and anti-information fed to us by the government and the media. Because of this, it is impossible to “know what we don’t know” and to “know what we know.”
 * What Do We Know? Precis**

Works Cited Weingartner, Charles. "What Do We Know?" __Beyond Nineteen Eighty-Four__. Ed. William Lutz. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English, 1989. 29-44.