Washington Post Cries Uncle: Stop Using ‘Tainted’ Term ‘Fake News’

originally posted by: AnkhMorpork
a reply to: sad_eyed_lady

So, here’s a modest proposal for the truth-based community. Let’s get out the hook and pull that baby off stage. Yes: Simply stop using it. Instead, call a lie a lie. Call a hoax a hoax. Call a conspiracy theory by its rightful name. After all, “fake news” is an imprecise expression to begin with.

The term "conspiracy theory" has been used as a weaponized term (used by the CIA and MSM and made popular in the case of JFK's assassination) to shut down anything that disputes the officially sanctioned narrative of events.

It could be outlandish and false or a hoax, or, it could be entirely valid.

Conspiracy: a secret plan by a group to do something unlawful or harmful.
"a conspiracy to destroy the government"
synonyms:
plot, scheme, plan, machination, ploy, trick, ruse, subterfuge; informal racket
"a conspiracy to manipulate the results"
the action of plotting or conspiring.
"they were cleared of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice"
synonyms:
plotting, collusion, intrigue, connivance, machination, collaboration; treason
"conspiracy to commit murder"

Theory: a supposition or a system of ideas intended to explain something, especially one based on general principles independent of the thing to be explained.
"Darwin's theory of evolution"
synonyms:
hypothesis, thesis, conjecture, supposition, speculation, postulation, postulate, proposition, premise, surmise, assumption, presupposition; More
opinion, view, belief, contention
"I reckon that confirms my theory"
principles, ideas, concepts;
philosophy, ideology, system of ideas, science
"modern economic theory"
a set of principles on which the practice of an activity is based.
"a theory of education"
an idea used to account for a situation or justify a course of action.
"my theory would be that the place has been seriously mismanaged"

You bet it has become a weaponized term to discredit not only theories, but well done research. Here's O'Reilly attempting to shut down Katie Pavich well-documented book: "The Fast and Furious: Barrack Obama's Bloodiest Scandal and It's Shameless Cover Up" by labeling it a conspiracy theory.



During the last election I saw a reporter shut down a tough question by calling it a conspiracy theory. It's one of the big tools in their toolbag.

The governments, big business and media are the main conspirators and with discernment and research theories become facts.

10 Conspiracy Theories That Turned Out To Be True

a reply to: sad_eyed_lady

It isn't working like it used to. These days, if you tell someone you're a "conspiracy theorist" they almost perk up with a certain degree of respect, not disdain.

It means you're well researched and have perhaps a deeper worldview than your average every day regular Joe who only runs with what the MSM and officially sanctioned narrative tells him to believe, but that he knows, deep down, is built on many lies and falsehoods.

It's becoming more of a badge of honor.

Like "Truther" for a 9/11 researcher, I say we'll take it, while spinning the term fake news back on the MSM.

We're in a new domain where the info war and the psychological war can be won by the little guy just by being informed. It's the in thing these days to BE a "conspiracy theorist".

Soon it will not longer work at all and every time we hear it being used as a pejorative aimed to shut down certain views, we ought to pipe up and point out what they just did.

What - are there no conspiracies?

Is it not right to evaluate and draw inferences or to put forth theories? That's the stuff of critical thinking. You come up with a hypothesis and competing hypothesis, come up with the theory and test it. It's also the scientific method.

Soon whenever it's used in as a deflection away from rational inquiry, it will bite them in the ass, God willing.

It's all fake news whether its on TV or some website. Which is why I've disconnected from politics. There is no truth. There's only opinions.

originally posted by: dfnj2015
It's all fake news whether its on TV or some website. Which is why I've disconnected from politics. There is no truth. There's only opinions.

This is a victory for the Kremlin. They know that an educated, informed electorate is necessary for a liberal democracy to succeed. They have been waging an information war against the Western world by propagating false, conflicting news and rumors. If enough citizens give up, the world will fall into the hands of demagogues. Turkey has already gone well down this path.

Hmm.. Are they finally realizing it is the consumer that keeps these News outlets afloat? The people decide what is fake news and what isn't.

I literally laughed out loud when I first heard CNN describing fake news websites to us. And yes they exist, I see plenty of fake news on my facebook feed from click-bait websites. I guess CNN thinks We The People are too dumb to decipher the difference between what's real and what's fake on our own. And this is why your ratings are in the toilet. And of course, why I laughed out loud... CNN is the biggest fake news Leftist narrative partisan "News" in the US.

originally posted by: Grambler

originally posted by: Greggers

originally posted by: MarioOnTheFly
a reply to: Greggers

Mainstream media sources very seldom push hoaxes and outright lies.

how's the weather in that bubble ?

My god man...good luck out there...you're gonna need it.

You're the one in the bubble.

The MSM is often guilty of bias. Sometimes (as in the talking-head programs), bias is baked INTO the show format. However, there is a difference between bias and lies.

Also, MSM does very little in the way of actual investigative reporting these days, so mostly they are just reporting information as claimed by other sources. Which means as long as the source they've cited is claiming it, it's not a lie. This of course means you can't count on the MSM for actual investigation, but it also means they don't do much in the way of actually making up their own stories.

Alternative media, on the other hand, spews out complete lies fabricated from whole cloth.

This is part of the reason why the Post is saying to "call a lie a lie," and "call a hoax a hoax." It's because these terms very rarely apply to MSM, but far more often apply to alternate media.

Explain hands up, don't shoot. Blatant lie, often still repeated by the msm.

As you know from my contributions in the other thread, this morning's revelations about CNN pushing a BS narrative about that 4Chan document that was actually determined to be fake by the CIA (which was never presented to the President, contrary to claims) has made me reconsider my position on what does or doesn't constitute fake news.

However, my recollection of hands up don't shoot is that CNN was reporting the mantra adopted by BLM, which many would argue was bigger than the Michael Brown thing. I am from the area where all that happened (lucky me) and I researched it heavily at the time, so I know very well that Brown did not have his hands up when he was shot, but rather was charging aggressively back toward the officer.

This *should* have been challenged by MSM. Perhaps it was at some point, on some channel. I really don't know. What I do know is that the phrase became synonymous with a movement against police brutality in general, whether it pertained to Brown or not.

P.S.

I do recall specifically Bill O'Reilly challenging this on FOX, rather aggressively. Fox is definitely MSM.

originally posted by: DJW001

originally posted by: dfnj2015
It's all fake news whether its on TV or some website. Which is why I've disconnected from politics. There is no truth. There's only opinions.

This is a victory for the Kremlin. They know that an educated, informed electorate is necessary for a liberal democracy to succeed. They have been waging an information war against the Western world by propagating false, conflicting news and rumors. If enough citizens give up, the world will fall into the hands of demagogues. Turkey has already gone well down this path.

You have been an active part in Russia's strategy, part of a group of people pushing hysteria about Russia to the point where even the most believable argument against Russia is discarded by many because they don't have the time or the inclination to separate fact from the constant fake news cycle.

You are right - Russia has won. Confidence in the US intelligence services and the US media is non existent. They only have themselves to blame.

a reply to: UKTruth

You are right - Russia has won. Confidence in the US intelligence services and the US media is non existent. They only have themselves to blame.

Stop being such a Russophobe and give credit where credit is due. Russian trolls worked hard to make this possible. Meanwhile, I will continue to remind everyone that liberal democracy remains strong, and that the Constitution will sort things out in the end.

a reply to: DJW001

No.

No one is making the MSM journalists lie, they do this by themselves.

Journalists need to own up their lies and their blatant bias - they need to take responsibility and correct themselves

a reply to: sad_eyed_lady

HAHA, how did they not see that coming, pot calling the kettle black and all that, they must have known that a large portion of the public have known for a long time that the so called MSM have been feeding us propaganda based "fake" news since their inception.
They directed the planets way of thinking with headlines like WAR on TERROR ( this headline promotes 2 things WAR and TERROR) they use psychological warfare with implanting phrases like that that into everyones consciousness so we bring those things about, Works for everything, Cancer awareness, Aids, etc etc
dont believe me then read this and join the dots, information and how we perceive it, is basically what makes the world tic and they know it. and "I" know it, honestly join the dots.
www.psychologytoday.com...

evrything you think about effects your life, the MSM have been directing our thinking for too long, "real eyes, realise, real lies".... Tupac

a reply to: M5xaz

Would you support having the state form a truth committee to guarantee that the media only publish the truth?

originally posted by: DJW001
a reply to: M5xaz

Would you support having the state form a truth committee to guarantee that the media only publish the truth?

Absolutely not!
You support such efforts by Google and Facebook which DO exist?

Do you think people should be forced to watch CNN when they have been caught lying, so they can maintain their ratings ?

originally posted by: DJW001

This is a victory for the Kremlin. They know that an educated, informed electorate is necessary for a liberal democracy to succeed. They have been waging an information war against the Western world by propagating false, conflicting news and rumors. If enough citizens give up, the world will fall into the hands of demagogues. Turkey has already gone well down this path.

Have any actual examples?

a reply to: M5xaz

You support such efforts by Google and Facebook which DO exist?

Facebook and Google are free to do what they want. There are other social platforms and search engines if you object to their policies.

Do you think people should be forced to watch CNN when they have been caught lying, so they can maintain their ratings ?

Where do you live that you are forced to watch specific television stations? North Korea?

a reply to: IgnoranceIsntBlisss

Have any actual examples?

As usual, you are unclear. Examples of what? Russian disinformation? Did you follow events in Ukraine at all? Demagogues coming to power? Remember that alleged coup in Turkey that resulted in a purge? Examples of a well informed electorate? Most voters didn't vote for Trump, so that suggests something, don't you think?

a reply to: DJW001

Puhlease, read this and then tell my who is more clear:
www.abovetopsecret.com...
!

Yes, you have an actual list of clearly documented stories that were fake, AND are verified as being Russian state sponsored, or has all of you pro-censorship chest-pounding across the site the past two months been mostly just based on MSM-driven soundbyte's of assumptive claims?

a reply to: Chadwickus

is a lie a lie if the liar believes it to be true?

I am sure WaPo are relieved now that CNN have taken the gold medal for fake news and are forever tarred with that brush.
Still we should not forget the continual fake news articles in WaPo, including the Vermont electric grid hack emergency. It comes to something when even Snopes has to call them out

a reply to: IgnoranceIsntBlisss

Yes, you have an actual list of clearly documented stories that were fake, AND are verified as being Russian state sponsored, or has all of you pro-censorship chest-pounding across the site the past two months been mostly just based on MSM-driven soundbyte's of assumptive claims?

I am not pro-censorship, you are. By calling legitimate stories "fake" you are attempting to stifle discussion. But that's by-the-by. Here:

www.theguardian.com...

I could provide many ore examples. but I'm pretty sure you won't read or believe them.

a reply to: DJW001

About censorship: RIGHT!!!! Way to flat out LIE.

About the fake news, what does your link have to do with the election, Trump, etc? NOTHING.