How Legends And Myths Persist Today

An art work found at the bottom of an exterior door on the grounds of the Long Beach Museum of Art.
I zoomed in on the image as I was walking past.

This is a representation from a video claiming to be authentic (this is an air freshener).
The video footage was not authentic (I have an Impeccable Source).
It's depiction, however, hasn't prevented the images from haunting and mystifying minds.

Another 'BigFoot' sighting (of an air freshener ;)
The vehicle's owner was not initially pleased by my picture taking (I'd be suspicious too).
I explained that I find all kinds of interesting things on my journeys (they inspire my work).
I do think there is such a kind of animal still alive on earth,
but they likely do not resemble what imaginations have conceived.

This morning, my mind recalled a memory of something I saw in a movie.

It was a bit silly.

I pondered how fictions in film (or other medias) may affect my perception of history, or reality, when as an old(er) man my memory may begin to fail.

I wondered if memories about a fictional tale depicted in a movie would replace the more fact-based (or what I initially understood) depictions in what is concluded as 'historical'.

I was then surprised to come across this old article that same morning.

Countless are the times while on social media I have come across some meme, or sensational news headline, only to research the claims and not only find them to be utterly false, but greatly misleading.

Today, what is touted as 'news' is actually highly editorialized by so-called journalists.

Every - single - news - outlet - suffers this current climate of editorializing.

I've found only some business news outlets that, perhaps accustomed to only working through numbers and facts duly noted, to forward information (as 'news') in an unbiased and sober manner sans personal opinion.

Business news, when colored by political overtones, is usually ignored or denounced by business-minded people (or so has been my observation).

Some business minds are very much accustomed to looking for facts and ignoring the fluff.

Here is an excerpt from that old article:

In fact, people trust photographs so much that they actually place more weight on information that is accompanied with an image, regardless of how related or useful that image is. If you show participants a statement, and an image that provides no proof of that statement, they are far more likely to find that statement true than if it had no image alongside it.

To be clear: my effort to 'debunk' memes (or non-news stories) doesn't begin and end with a visit to sites like Snopes or anything similar.

Snopes and the like usually perform an internet search.. as any other person can (and should).

I suggest perusing the 'scholar' section of a search engine.

Read.

Sometimes, rudimentary logic is enough to debunk ridiculously instigating memes or fluff headlines... no matter how emotionally compelling or instigating these can be.

A frequent look at a list of fallacies can go a long way in helping separate the phoniness from the facts.

Critical thinking is quite dismal since most people are often bombarded with nonsense portrayed as truth.

This happens a lot in the news, even from supposedly 'trustworthy' news people or news brands.

It is most prevalent in social media.

Memes are often made to elaborate on ignorance and prejudices generally (generationally) sown in men's hearts.

The person inured with such ignorance and prejudices likely cannot see beyond their wet nose.

Each of us has a remnant of such a plague, or are very much still intertwined.

In other words, none of us are immune... but we can begin to inoculate ourselves with proper treatment.

Regardless if memes or so-called 'news' articles are made by professional propagandists or by lost souls simply branding their prejudiced ignorance, is besides the point.

Most memes are utterly false... and lots of news is highly biased.

Someone's falsehood is another man's glorious 'truth'.

And for some, it is more important to paint reality according to their tastes, rather than deal with the truth and live accordingly.

This is why slogans can attract some minds while repelling others.

When looking behind slogans, and deciphering the meanings and rationale behind them, one begins to see man's typically faulty logic... and how deeply entrenched the fault line is.

Please remember to read through that news article I shared about fabricated imagery causing false memories.

For a most sobering lesson that distinguishes both the left and right of politics as being one lying monster using media as their megaphone, enjoy the shock of this video production.