There's been a lot of fuss about people misrepresenting themselves and spreading false information on the intertubes and it's predictably led to meta-angst among my dear Kossacks about what people say about themselves and how we should be more discerning and route out falsehoods wherever they may lie.
And I just shake my head, saddened again. It's not about them. It's about you (and by extension all of us).
It takes a bit of savvy to get by on the internet these days. Knowing what sites NOT to visit (viruses being the least of your problems these days), knowing what emails NOT to forward to everyone you know (frankly, all of them), knowing what blogs NOT to visit, knowing what "free offers" come with strings attached (again, all of them). But most importantly, knowing what not to believe, or what to be skeptical about. It doesn't matter what we say about ourselves. An argument has to stand on its own merits or it's not worth believing.
By and large, we don't know each other here. I haven't met a single Kossack in the entire time I've been here (not for lack of opportunities, I'm just shy to the point of disfunction at times). I could tell you WHATEVER I want about myself and there's not a damn think anyone can do to prove or refute it. Anonymity can lend us courage to say what we feel we need to say, but it also has to come with caution. It's because we don't know each other that we have to scrutinize what we believe just as much as what we read. Especially when it's something we WANT to believe.
Most people know that any diary beginning "I'm a life long democrat but...
" is probably not coming from a life long democrat. Just like medical doctors showing up endorsing weight loss aides and the latest E.D. snakeoil probably ISN'T any kind of doctor you'd want to go to for medical attention (if they're MEDICAL doctors at all). People use cues and jargon to build credibility for bullshit all the time, usually to hide or distract from gaping holes or false logic in whatever they're asserting. But it shoundn't matter what credentials someone claims to have.
It doesn't matter if Kos has a degree in political science. We shouldn't take his word on politics as gospel. It doesn't matter of AdamB is a practicing attorney. We shouldn't swallow his legal analysis whole. It doesn't matter if someone is (even verifiably) a doctor or an accredited professional. That should never be used to make up for any deficit of logic or fact that exists in their argument.
But more than that, it is important to recognize that people by and large believe no more and no less than what they WANT to believe. I've even found myself sucked in a time or twain in a meme that ended up to be either not true, or grossly exaggerated. And I have a time or twain criticised others (even front pagers) from making a big deal over something that is quite frankly, ridiculous or making conclusions that are not supported by their evidence.
Everything should be scrutinized. All deeply held beliefs should be re-evaluated occasionally. And content of the message should always trump the credibility of the messenger.
That is the difference between coming here for information, and coming here for validation.
Do what you will. But stay focused and alert. Becuase there are people out there who do want to mislead. And it serves no one to make it easy for them.