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@DAIRYBUSINESS: A lazy society?

 

By Kayla Jentz

 

I was talking with a good friend  of mine recently about a PETA stint, and she said something that rung a bell for me. 

    “We as a society rarely think and investigate claims,” she said. “We are lazy and just believe what we are told.”

    I completely agree with her. Today, there are few and far-between “fact seekers” out there, people who truly do their research before coming to a conclusion or opinion. (And when I say “research” I don’t mean Wikipedia or The Onion.)

    At first glance, you might think I’m talking solely about those people who read an article about the latest “factory farm” and come to an instant conclusion about how terrible farms are. Yes, they are a part of it. But before pointing fingers, take a look at your own decision-making process. If we don’t do the research, we’re just as guilty as them. 

    I don’t wish to start a political debate, but let me ask, when was the last time you did actual research on the presidential candidates? Did you, or are you doing, your research to make a fact-based conclusion on each candidate, or are you simply categorizing candidates based on their political party? 

    My column is supposed to be about social media, so let me get back to that. Social media can contribute to society’s laziness, but it can also help you research the issues.

    A recent social media blitz called “KONY 2012” came across my radar recently. If you haven’t seen or heard of it, Google it. I’m positive you’ll get about a zillion results. A very political topic, it’s primarily a social media-fed campaign to stop Joseph Kony, a Ugandan war criminal, and raise awareness to bring his crimes to a halt. 

    I watched all 30 minutes of the YouTube video and, before I did any research at all, I hated the man. That quick, that simple. As of March 22, 84 million others have viewed the video, and I can only imagine their thoughts about the man.

     After getting over my initial hatred, I decided I should do a little background research on the topic, and although I’m still not fond of the man, there are more than a few people who are critical of the KONY campaign. 

    Another point in case – the dreaded Chipotle commercial that aired during the Grammy’s. I know that a few people’s minds were made up instantly after viewing it, without a glance at any real facts.

    The take-home message here is to do your research, and recommend others do the same. Don’t contribute to the lazy society. Make your decisions based on researched facts, not just what’s presented to you.

    Isn’t that what we ask our consumers to do every day, too? 

Until next time, 

 

 

 

 

FYI

  • Kayla Jentz is associate editor, DairyBusiness Communications. Contact her via email: kjentz@dairybusiness.com or phone: 608-848-1420.

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