In a world where anyone’s ideas can be shared instantly, falsehoods spread like fire. With the modern media, people are more educated, and more misinformed, than ever. News

breaks instantly –– “fake news” propagates just as quickly.

Ignoring reality is nothing new in politics; throughout American history, groups have

distorted or disregarded the facts to suit their agendas. In the mid-nineteenth century, the Know-Nothing Party espoused conspiracy theories to justify their nativist, anti-Catholic

platform. A century later, Sen. Joseph McCarthy gained tremendous power by falsely

accusing many individuals in his communist witch hunts. However, these historical

examples pale in comparison to people’s unawareness and denial of facts today.

More than ever, conspiracy theories are influencing people’s decisions. For example, although 97 percent of scientists agree that human activity is causing global warming and climate change, the Washington Post reported that 19 percent of Americans either deny that is happening at all or that humans cause it. No legitimate study has shown any inherent dangers in vaccines, yet 45 percent of adults doubt their safety as per the American Osteopathic Association, again ignoring the scientific literature in favor of erroneous alternatives.

The growing power of fake news has daunting ramifications on public opinion and on the state of pressing issues. Global warming ignorance has irreparable repercussions, and vaccine opposition endangers everyone’s health. And, just as dangerous, people are increasingly cherry-picking facts and creating their own realities to suit their agendas. Politicians on both sides of the aisle choose what to believe and make up what they want to believe to fit their positions. The same Republicans who went to extreme lengths to try to remove President Clinton from office for lying about an affair are bending over backwards today in an attempt to defend President Trump after he committed manifestly worse offenses. And there is something to be said about the President himself, who according to the Washington Post has made over 16,000 false claims in his first three years in office.

What can we do? As students at a high school that offers numerous opportunities to learn about the real truths of this world, it is our duty to pursue this knowledge and be able to identify the fake facts that are starting to surround us. Make use of your biology class to ask questions about vaccines, your history class to learn the incontrovertible facts of the past so that we don’t repeat history, your enviro class to learn about the real and detrimental impacts of climate change.

We would all be well-advised to follow the admonition of the late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan: “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts”. It’s easy to see hypocrisy in others, but we so often fall victim to it ourselves. In the end, it comes down to people refusing to admit that their side is wrong, and going to extreme lengths to defend what they want to be true. Everyone everywhere must be aware of misleading information and its severe ramifications. We're already on a dangerous trend, so it's imperative to stay informed and know what's really going on. However much people like to think otherwise, everyone on all parts of the political spectrum distort reality to a certain degree. In an increasingly polarized world, it is essential to stay informed, seek out reliable sources, and not let a bias or a pre-set agenda prevent you from grasping reality.