Who do you trust for bringing you the news: a plea for critical thinking

In the wake of discovery in the Dominion's defamation suit against media that major FOX News stars themselves did not believe the 2020 election was stolen but promoted "stop the steal"anyway, I found myself in an interesting dialog in a private political Facebook page.  I asked how long it would take before FOX News fans realized they had been taken for fools by those they had trusted?  Paying attention to that one issue of election denial is worth the effort since it was the "stop the steal" slogan that gave the rationale for January 6 participants and was used by Trump to justify his passive and active attempts to claim a second term, even after many loyalists testified under oath they told him he had lost. It was the greatest attack on the democratic process since the Civil War.

The response from a participant on the page responded with," lib media lied too."  He was now going to trust Twitter to get his information. 

MUFTIC FORUM BLOG: No kidding. The real fear facing FOX: loss of audience trust

"If you seek to find an opinion or many opinions that justify your already established opinions, Twitter is a great source for you. If you want facts or truth, alternative or otherwise, try using the old Reagan mantra: trust but verify. That is one definition of critical thinking. That is a way of thinking instead of simply parroting back something that sounds right to you or you hope is true.  I think we agree on the need for critical thinking. We may disagree on the definition. Google the definition before throwing the term around. Just criticizing, is not it. Demanding the opposing opinion should agree is not it, either, either or calling those who disagree with you clowns is not critical thinking. It may be criticizing, but it is not critical thinking. All definitions of critical thinking. have some things in common. Critical thinking includes understanding available data and facts, deductive reasoning and a dose of skepticism.. That is a way of thinking instead of simply parroting back something that sounds right to you or you hope is true. In my blog, I footnote where I got my data and facts, but when I challenge some people to give me their data and facts, all I get back are opinion memes and insults. It may be criticizing, but that is not critical thinking." Critical", the word in that concept, does not mean "criticizing". It means actually giving rational reasons for arguing a point deducted from facts that are available.  

I could have continued with my lecture by writing speculation is not the same as verification or a substitute for fact or truth, but questioning and speculating is where you begin the process of searching for facts and truth.   The justice system depends on weighing facts, data, and evidence, not theories, speculation, opinions, overheard conversations,  and ignorance. In December 2020, nearly all federal judges, regardless of who appointed them or their party affiliation ruled against the accusers that the election was stolen or they ruled there was not enough evidence of fraud to change the election outcome.  There were a  variety of reasons, including a lack of evidence and ignorance of the process. Trump knew this but persisted with his lie. American voters are different than a court of law. The political system as constructed in the Constitution was invented during the late 1700's "age of reason," which was based on the belief that men were capable of rational thought.   The American form of democracy depends upon voters to exercise rational judgment even when advocates of one side or the other spin and lie. They will have the motivation and ability to demand evidence and facts to justify opinions and speculation. You hear America was founded on ideas, and that is one of the ideas. Men, citizens, not a king or potentate, could govern themselves because they had the capacity for critical thinking.  Sometimes those facts and evidence are slow in being revealed to citizens, and in the meantime, perception of the truth, not the truth itself, shapes public views. The response from those who are protecting lies is, "there is no such thing as truth; there are alternative facts," which infers "just trust what we say is the truth."   Humans, by nature, being what it is, have a hard time admitting they were fooled as evidence emerges the fooling was intentionally a strategy to achieve a political or economic goal. 

Update: 9 6 23

Education is a closely related factor in determining who has enough knowledge to get a perspective of history and experience that offsets simplistic thinking.  It once was that the least educated demographic leaned heavily Democtratic.  Not now. The situation has flipped.  The least educated are MAGA Trumpsters and the more educated lean Democrats.  https://www.politico.com/interactives/2022/midterm-election-house-districts-by-education/

Some of the evidence I have relied upon

Far too little vote fraud to tip election to Trump, AP finds | AP News

Fox hosts didn’t believe 2020 election fraud claims | AP News

Trump’s judicial campaign to upend the 2020 election: A failure, but not a wipe-out (brookings.edu)