Why I’m Tired of Fake Outrage
Look, I’ve been editing news features for 22 years. That’s right, I was doing this before school news education was even a thing. And let me tell you, the state of news literacy? It’s a disaster. Not because people are stupid. No, it’s because we’ve failed them. Miserably.
I remember sitting in a diner in Pittsburgh back in 2005 with a source named Marcus (not his real name, obviously). He told me, “People don’t care about the truth anymore. They just wanna feel something.” I laughed then. Now? Not so much.
And honestly, I get it. Emotions sell. But when did we decide that feelings were more important than facts? When did we start treating news like it’s just another form of entertainment?
That Time I Got Schooled
Last Tuesday, I was at a conference in Austin. A young reporter, let’s call her Emily, asked me, “How do we fix this?” I stared at her. I mean, I literally had no idea what to say. So I did what any self-respecting editor would do—I deflected.
“Well, Emily,” I said, “First, stop using the phrase ‘fake news.’ It’s a meaningless term that’s been weaponized. Second, start teaching people how to think, not what to think.” She looked at me like I’d just told her to floss her brain. Which, honestly, might not be a bad idea.
But here’s the thing: it’s not just on the journalists. It’s on all of us. We’ve become a society that values speed over accuracy, sensationalism over substance. And it’s completley exhausting.
Anecdote Time: The Facebook Argument
About three months ago, I got into an argument with my cousin Dave over Facebook. He shared this article—no, not an article, a clickbait headline with a pixelated image of a politician. I asked him, “Dave, have you actually read this?” He said, “I don’t need to. The headline says it all.” I facepalmed so hard I think I gave myself a concussion.
This is the problem. We’ve become a culture of headline skimmers. We don’t read past the first paragraph. We don’t fact-check. We just react. And it’s killing our ability to have meaningful conversations about anything.
But here’s the kicker: it’s not all doom and gloom. There are people out there doing amazing work. They’re fighting the good fight, one fact at a time. And honestly, they deserve more credit than they get.
Why I’m Optimistic (Sort Of)
I was at a bar with a colleague named Sarah last week. We were talking about this exact topic. She said, “You know, I think we’re at a turning point. People are starting to realize that not everything they read online is true.” I raised an eyebrow. “Really?” I asked. She nodded. “Yeah, I mean, look at the numbers. News literacy programs are on the rise.”
Which… yeah. Fair enough. But here’s the thing: it’s not enough. We need more than just programs. We need a cultural shift. We need people to start valuing truth over trending topics.
And look, I’m not saying it’s easy. It’s not. But it’s necessary. Because if we don’t start taking this seriously, we’re gonna find ourselves in a world where facts don’t matter. And that’s a world I don’t wanna live in.
Tangent: The Time I Almost Got Fired
Okay, so this might not be directly related, but it’s a good story. Back in 2010, I almost got fired for refusing to publish a story that was clearly sensationalized. The editor-in-chief at the time, let’s call him Greg, told me, “It’s what the people want.” I said, “No, Greg. It’s what you think they want. There’s a difference.” He didn’t see it that way. But I stood my ground. And you know what? The story would’ve been a disaster. So yeah, sometimes you gotta fight for what’s right, even if it means risking your job.
Anyway, back to the point. We need more people like me. More people willing to say, “No, this isn’t good enough.” More people willing to fight for the truth, even when it’s unpopular.
The Bottom Line
So where do we go from here? I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t have all the answers. But I do know this: we need to start having real conversations. We need to stop treating news like it’s just another form of entertainment. And we need to start valuing truth over trending topics.
It’s not gonna be easy. It’s gonna take time. And it’s gonna take a lot of work. But it’s necessary. Because if we don’t start taking this seriously, we’re gonna find ourselves in a world where facts don’t matter. And that’s a world I don’t wanna live in.
So let’s get to work. Let’s start having real conversations. Let’s start valuing truth. And let’s start making a difference.
About the Author: Jane Doe is a senior magazine editor with over 20 years of experience in the news industry. She’s worked for various major publications and has a strong opinion on pretty much everything. When she’s not editing, she can be found arguing with people on the internet or drinking too much coffee.
