Handout for #ABS2014 - Independent Investigation of Truth in Social Media

Hi Peeps,

I'm giving a talk at this year's Association for Baha'i Studies. My talk is about the importance of setting aside biases, prejudices, and preconceived ideas before exploring a topic. This is particularly important for gauging the validity of information about science & tech that is presented in social media where information is not vetted and anyone can post anything. It also explores the idea that targeted marketing and the nature of social media don't expose us to different ideas that force us to consider different perspectives. Rather, we're exposed to more of our own perspective. I'll try to provide overviews of various studies that have analyzed the science of changing minds and the importance of practicing slow, conscious thinking when considering information, so that we do not come to the unconscious conclusions that our biases lead us towards. This will be supported with quotes from Baha'i literature that reinforce the principle of the independent investigation of the truth.

I put together a handout for the participants and here it is. All the information is from other websites, and I've provided the citations in the document:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/10Bi-jntXzxIkuaq6d2mnNKYbqH1A06qNIWRm7FKCNqQ/pub

Remember: before you post it, Snope it!!

If you want a copy of my talk, please email me.