Learning To Be A Happy Skeptic

If you spend any time on the Internet, or have access to email, or spend anytime at the office water cooler, you need to know one web site address: http://www.snopes.com/.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard an incredible, fantastic, or stunning story that someone swears is true, but that a few minutes on http://www.snopes.com/ will quickly deliver the verdict that the tale is false. Another urban legend. I’m also a huge fan of the MythBusters, and not just because they typically find a reason to blow stuff up.

People may call you a killjoy (they’ve called me worse), but now that I’ve got ubiquitous access to the Internet with an iPhone in my pocket or my iPad at my side, it’s easy to check out a story and clear up the rumors and the “have you heard” tales that so many people take at face value.

I’ve been in marketing and done a fair amount of public relations (PR) over the years and I’ve learned one thing: I have never seen a news report or article that I’ve either been quoted in or had some part of the event where the story as reported was 100% accurate. There is always something wrong. And more often than not, the story is one-dimensional or incomplete, allowing the reader to misconstrue what happened.

So I’ve become skeptical about almost anything I read or hear.

Being skeptical doesn’t mean that I think you’re lying to me. It just means that although your information seems interesting, I need to check it out.

I read a story about James Randi, the great debunker of psychics and frauds. Someone recognized him, standing in line to register for an event. The person asked Randi, “Is this the registration line?” To which he replied, “I doubt it.”

Some people think skepticism is a depressing way of looking at the world, but I find it exhilarating. It’s an approach where you can gleefully discover what is true or false. It’s fun to get to the bottom of things. And even if the tale is a juicy one, understanding what’s really going on is critical if you want to be more than just another one of the countless sheep.

Learn to be a skeptic. Remember what the most junior reporter is taught: “If your mother says she loves you, check it out.” Be proud that other people understand that if they send you an email story that they’ve copied to dozens of others that you’ll be the one to reply back and say, “That happens not to be the case. Here’s what really happened . . .”

Tagged as: skeptic, skepticism, urban legend