When Reality Isn't Real At All...

These days, media is everywhere. No matter where you might go, you are going to come in contact with some form of media constantly. How do you know that what you are receiving it true? Factual media and media are two very different things. Media reserves the right to be as extreme as the author feels necessary, and the truth is often lost in the scuffle. When investigating the trustworthiness of a specific piece of media, you need to consider not only the author, but also the premise of the media, and the cause for it being developed.

Reality itself can never be completely captured unless filmed 24/7/365. Anything less than that would be one's own perception of reality. Cutting out any pieces of the filming would be a personal decision, and would therefore be "altering reality," or at least other people's views of reality. According to Smith, "Reality occurs 24 hours a day with an enormous 'cast' of characters, each with his/her own perceptions." In short, media will always be suceptible to one's own views, emotions, and opinions if there is any editing involved, and therefore it cannot be totally factual.

One story that I do feel is factual; however, is this story about lethal injections and foreign drug policies. When I read this story, I was immediately confronted with my own personal perceptions, and I was extremely frustrated with Daniel Cook's appeal. This man was convicted of a double murder, and yet he wants to be spared any sort of physical pain. I'm sorry, but that's a ridiculous. If you had the strength to kill those two innocent people, then you have the strength to die a painful death.

Apart from my own opinions; though, there are the facts. This man was convicted. This man is on deathrow. This man will die eventually. Personally, I think this piece of media is factual because of the strong amount of evidence. Though news teams have been known to exaggerate, I feel it is absolutely proposterous to believe they would make up a false double murder conviction. To say that would be over the line is an understatement. Also, there are several other sources that back up the news team's claims. The large number of outside sources is particularly convincing to me.

Understanding the need to question everything you are presented with is essential to surviving in today's media-saturated world. If we do not question what we receive, how can we ever validate its truthfulness? Though the truth may be hard to find, it's worth it. John 8:32 says, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."