Truth matters, online or off

Years ago, in my competition speech and debate days, we were not allowed to use Reader’s Digest as a source. According to our coach, if we found an article in Reader’s Digest that provided the information we needed, we had to then find the original source and use it.

You see, Reader’s Digest reprinted articles from other magazines and often, in the process of shortening these articles, the intent of the original article was lost. I don’t know if that was intentional or if it was simply a product of bad editing. I can tell you that nothing changed the feel of a debate like standing up and saying, “Actually the original document said something different than you are claiming.”

But what about all those avid Reader’s Digest fans, who took what they read at face value? Were they accountable when they passed on this incorrect information? Most of us have read or heard something and, believing it to be true, claimed that truth and defended it heartily.

With current media options we now have so many sources of information that we almost always find one that says what we believe and want to be true. While this seems like a great deal, having some back-up to corroborate our beliefs, either legit or not, provides us with the muscle to tell others how right we are.

The problem is, no matter where our information comes from, it is ultimately our responsibility to tell the truth. Each of us must be accountable for the words that we speak, even when those words may not be what we want them to be.

So what does that mean for us in our day to day lives? It means that no matter how much we like someone, how much we want something to be true, how much it will cost us – we must do what it takes to ensure that our words are accurate and true – even at the expense of our own wishes.

And, if you are thinking, “How hard is it to tell the truth?” remember that we are human and as such our words can be skewed by our desire to not hurt someone, our need to be right, and even our belief that we know better. Unlike in days of old, when I was researching debate topics and speaking to a small audience of people, now a great deal of our communication is through social media channels and suddenly our words can go far beyond where we even intended. Suddenly, our need for truth and accuracy is greater than it has ever been. So I challenge you – don’t settle for the edited, abridged version of the truth. Do your research, find the original source, and let that guide your words.