Opus 2024-325: Sound Bites

As I was cruising through the click bait I saw a number of interesting topics being brought up.  The first thing I do after I see an interesting topic is to look down and see how long the video is.  If it’s 15 minutes long and it’s a topic that can be offered in a minute or less then I just bypass it.  So much of what is said has nothing to do with the click bait.

Which brings me to sound bites.  Sound bites can be very valuable or totally useless.  When you have a video claiming to tell you the five most important books you could ever read and it’s 15 minutes long then you know that there are about 14 minutes and 30 seconds of nonsense that has nothing to do with the title.  Abridge. Put it in 100 words or less.  Then it is valuable.

On the other hand, much of what we consider, click bait and sound bites are statements that are taken totally out of context and are offered in order to deceive and confuse.  It’s hard to know which category these things fit into but with a little bit of thinking we can make progress.  Consider the source.  If it comes from CNN, BBC, the New York Times., or any other such source than you know it is propaganda.  You know that it is most likely out of context.  You know it’s a waste of your time.  You might even know the exact opposite is really true.

If it comes from a trusted source, read it.  Of course you still need to think about it and consider what really means.

Never turn your mind off.

homo unius libri