Even if the material agrees with your cognitive biases--Check Sources
Today's post was planned to be quite different, then I checked the sources
Today’s post was going to be vastly different. I found an article on YourTango, that I simply loved. It was about body language and presenting confidence, even when one felt insecure.
I thought, “Fantastic! So many survivors of sexual assault lack self esteem. This could help them in some of their social interactions.”
The article had a nice checklist, that I agreed with for women in the USA. The article listed: making eye-contact, good posture, mirroring another’s body language, and the like.
I was delighted that this article provided sources and studies from The National Library of Medicine. Until I started clicking on the actual articles cited. The articles didn’t have much to do with what the writer was saying. Sure the word “confidence” was mentioned in the given study, but that’s about it.
The essence of this post today is: Even when someone writes or says something you agree with, please check their sources. This is the basic from writing research papers in elementary school. There’s lots of other stuff, like don’t cherry pick information, check how they actually conducted the study and the like. But, at a minimum, PLEASE READ the source material cited.
If there isn’t any source material cited, then consider it an opinion. There are few opinions that are should be rendered without vast experience, evidence, and proof.
Even Judges.
Privilege? What the hell does that mean? Please remember, I grew up in quite an elite neighborhood. All white. Everyone I know went to college….and 3 of my white, clean cut, well educated perpetrators went on to become nefarious monsters committing crimes against humanity, including pedophilia, torture, rape, kidnapping and murder.
The County Attorney, Stephen Stocks, prosecuting the case was stunned:
"Something like this shocked my conscience so much," Stocks said Thursday, "that I feel failing to act — or failing to speak out on this —wouldn't be doing a justice or service to … those kids out there."
In my opinion, that’s an understatement.
I wish that Judge had checked some sources.
The best I can offer to you, is please check sources. Even if you read something that you really want to share. Please check sources.
This is a post from Paperdolls.Today, under the section “Sales Techniques” AKA Recognize Manipulation. The intent of this section is to help people, particularly the vulnerable such as sexual assault survivors, to understand if and when they might be manipulated by sales techniques or misinformation. If you wish to unsubscribe or subscribe to any sections of Paperdolls.Today, please follow Substack’s instructions.
I agree! Authenticate before publishing. Don't assume anything!