Political Inception: Some Ways to Sort Truth from Bias and Fake News

In the current mess of political misinformation, bias, intentional omission, “fake news,” etc., trying to find the reality of things in the world of politics feels kind of like being dropped into the middle of Christopher Nolan’s “Inception” in which Leonardo DiCaprio’s Dom Cobb has to navigate his way through dreams and dreams within dreams that are easily mistaken for reality.

He has a token, a top, that helps him sort it out. If the top topples over, he’s awake. If it keeps spinning without stopping, he’s in a dream.

Fortunately there are ways to help sort out reality in the news as well. Here are some of them.

1) Turn off the T.V.

The T.V. and everything on it exists for entertainment. Any “news” on the T.V. is inevitably light on the disinterested facts and heavy on the opinion and spin to make it more interesting and make you more eager to keep tuning in to their channel. If you want to watch news channels for entertainment, then that’s fine as long as you don’t think you are getting any usable, serious information about current events.

2) Read online news sources.

Even thought a company’s T.V. channel probably isn’t worth your time, they’re usually much more likely to be more factual in their online publications. Even heavily opinionated sources like MSNBC or Fox News deliver information more reliably on their websites.

Remember this: The internet is primarily about information even thought it contains entertainment, and television is primarily about entertainment even though it contains information.

3) Cross reference multiple news sites across the political spectrum.

If the New York Times, Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, The Hill, USA Today, and the Huffington Post all agree on something being true, then it’s much more likely to be true.

The things that vary from site to site are much more likely to be false or matters of opinion.

4) Never under any circumstances rely on blogs for news.

Blogs are pretty easy to spot. They’re good for commentary, education, opinion, etc. But never rely on blogs for reliable reporting of current events. If you find one making claims about current events, fact check it.

5) Don’t rely on social media for news.

Enough said.

6) Read foreign news sources.

They probably have biases of their own, but sources like BBC, the Guardian, the Independent, Der Spiegel, etc. are more likely to be disinterested in American politics. As a result, they tend to be more factual than opinionated.

7) Don’t rely on “opinion sections” for news.

An opinion section is exactly what it sounds like. Always fact check opinion sections with sources from a few pages or clicks over.

8) Get your information from where the news gets its information.

Sources like the Associated Press and Reuters tend to be more neutral.

9. Be a snob about your sources.

If your morning news comes from Buzzfeed, Vice, etc., then you’re doing it wrong. Stay away from entertainment centered websites for news. Rely on reputable, well-established names like the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, The Atlantic, BBC, Reuters, Real Clear Politics, etc.

10. You’ll probably still like some opinionated sources, just keep fact checking them.

I’m a conservative. I tend to read The Hill, The National Review, The Bulwark and the Wall Street Journal as my more opinion-based sources. But I still keep an eye on more impartial sources and sources with opposing opinions to make sure I don’t fall into an echo chamber of misinformation and bias.

11. Just read more.

The world would be a better place if we all read more often.