IN THE past, the day might start out simple enough. Throughout households everywhere, a quiet breakfast may be followed by reading the morning papers or listening/watching the news on the radio or on television.
It’s different nowadays. During these modern times, as part of the majority, we’re either reading or watching the news from a tiny piece of technology that fits firmly in our hands.
If this present disposition still were to be compared to the old ways of ‘reading the papers’, then it might be that it’s only in the particular after-brekkie scenario where the latter is comparable to our present fascination with a cell phone, or its slightly bigger sister, ironically called the tablet.
Truth is, if the comparison between a newspaper and a mobile phone persisted as sources of information, and extended to other day-to-day activities, it just wouldn’t apply. It would be ridiculous, in fact, because who reads the papers 20 hours a day?
Be that as it may, and jokingly, whether you like it or not, there exists an absolute truth: the old gives way to the new. Always.
And leaving that triviality aside, how can that even be relevant? After all else, it would not really matter if one read the news out of a newspaper, a cell phone LED screen, or even a toilet door. The question that should be asked instead is, would you believe everything you read or saw in them?
Just this morning, I was watching a video where an eight-year-old had wowed competition judges with a masterful rendition of a difficult Beethoven piece. Excitedly, I immediately showed it to my mate, who, in a split second, with neither hi nor ho, shot it down with a flat ‘it’s A.I.’ Swat, might have been the better word.
I recall another instance, I showed a musical trivia video this time, to my younger son, and without fanfare, I also received the same put-down. Through all these, however, I’m not about to easily run up the stage just yet and receive my ‘most gullible award’, no sir.
As you may know, fake news abounds, and a rash of them have been plying the airwaves lately, while lies upon lies are rained upon the population just so you-know-who can sway opinion.
As I once advised a friend, in spite of all that’s happening in the world today, press pause and be like a rock. Sit easy amid the storms and sift through whatever wreckage. The good always whispers gently. Or you could also say, I eat A.I. and fake news for breakfast.
