A common refrain from ordinary working Americans during the pandemic and in our current political climate has been, “I don’t know what to believe.” 

The ultimately nihilistic basis for this is there are so many conflicting views (on the internet) that the truth is essentially unknowable.     

While getting to the truth may not always be easy, facts do provide a basis for evaluating what is true and what is objectively false. 

With Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, almost every Russian statement has been proven to be untrue. Even a cursory focus on facts undermines much of the misinformation shared during the pandemic. And the forensic detailing of the facts currently underway in Washington highlights the ‘big fraud’ of the ‘big steal’ election conspiracy.

Despite this, millions continue to make the choice to believe in ‘alternate facts.’ Tribalism continues to trump reality and the truth. 

The great manipulation of many ordinary God-fearing, freedom-loving Americans into a baying mob, disconnected from reality, is not an accident. The goal of disinformation whether from Moscow, Washington, D.C., or Florida is to undermine faith in people and institutions we rely on for information. 

In social echo chambers led by those who have consciously chosen to manipulate and lie to create maximum outrage and self-advantage, the faith among Americans that they are being told the truth by their tribal leaders and that others are lying, is powerful. This applies to political and cultural tribes of all stripes.    

While the belief in what is demonstrably false is a choice, it takes work, time, and money (paid subscriptions) to break out of existing paradigms. Time will tell if the facts of the January 6th hearings lead more to question those who have been shown by peddling falsehoods.                    

The idea of faith and belief are important if we are to find a way out of the current morass.     

Some years ago, I went to a Buddhist monastery in Nepal. I asked the abbot about the idea of faith in Buddhism. His response was that faith is based on experience. 

This is relevant, because we need to re-build faith in institutions and the idea that the truth is knowable. 

This is important because faith in media organizations committed to a rigorous journalistic process and accuracy, however flawed; in institutions with a demonstrated track record of truth based on facts, however imperfect; and the track record of people, from either side of the aisle, committed to honesty, however fallible, is a foundation for belief and action.  

Although it may feel unsatisfactory, “faith” in institutions and people, based on facts and experience we’ve taken the time to critically evaluate, does provide a valid anchor for our belief in what is true. And, most important, it is the basis for our willingness to act as individuals and resist the urge to follow those who would lead us astray. 

The truth is out there. Faith in facts, in reality, combined with a strong moral and ethical compass, will guide us through the storms of information and disinformation we need to navigate to do what is right. 

About the Author: Simon Erskine Locke is CEO of communications agency and professional search and services platform, CommunicationsMatch™. He is a regular contributor to CommPRO.biz and vice president of the Foreign Press Association.