Would you believe me if I say that this thumbnail you see is white in color? Of Course not. You will probably give me every reason every logic and every possible explanation as to why this is black and not white. While some will underestimate my knowledge about colors and some will probably consider me a frog and let me live in my well and to end the argument just agree that it is white.
While there are some grey areas, facts are always like the above example. Undebatable!! Black or white.I am all about perceptions, subjectivity and how people view things differently, but facts do not require perceptions. I can never make someone truly believe that this is white and live with this for the rest of their lives. Knowledge, be it innate or bestowed upon us by our generations and society, has taught us this very basic color and we cannot just replace it.
The news situation is no different these days. Fake news surrounding the current pandemic are made viral through various channels each day and we choose to close our eyes and just believe in everything that’s fed to us.
TRINGG TRINGG!! Whatsapp message: Chickens have the Covid19 virus as well!!
Next day, chicken sales go down.
TRINGG TRINGG!! Whatsapp message: Put olive oil drops in your nose and the virus will be killed even if you get in contact with it.
Next thing we know is everyone is sending us the same message to use olive oil without any information about the origin of the news.
We know that olive oil has nothing to do with the virus — this unique coronavirus affects human beings only, but we do not question the information we receive. They tell us something is white and we immediately start believing it and forwarding the news without even consulting a single expert. It’s like my father always says, “We are not a nation, we are just a group of people.”
Apart from the news surrounding it, the situation regarding Covid19 itself is no different. It has not only wiped away so many lives from the face of the Earth but has also given our economy a great shock, setting us back many years. However, a certain group of people still believe that this is all a great controversy, an extensive drama being played out by the doctor and governments all over the world. Watching the TV just yesterday, I heard this guy saying on the local news channel “If I cannot see it, I cannot believe it. There is no such virus whatsoever and I do not believe what the news is saying.” Ironically, the guy was wearing a mask as well. Which speaks volumes. The same people who are denying the existence of the virus are also the ones believing the Whatsapp news. Apparently, Whatsapp is the new expert.
But the death of more than 4 lac* people around the globe is just not a matter of perspective. More than 72 lac* cases reported positive is just not a matter of perspective. It is very black and white and very objective. No nation, no government would go to such lengths for agendas unknown.
I am not writing to help anyone differentiate between black and white, that’s their own job. I am just putting an emphasis on the fact that if you cannot believe my word over a simple color riddle, how can you yourselves decide about matters of complex scientific nature like the COVID19 without asking the experts. Point to ponder!
*WHO COVID19 DASHBOARD : https://covid19.who.int