My sources of information

Where best does one get one's information, where do I get my information? I've written another page that discusses reliable and unreliable sources.

It's a point to which we all should give careful thought. Am I looking in the right places for reliable information? Am I just getting the sort of news I want to hear? Am I learning what I need to know?

I've written this page to help me clarify my own thoughts as much as anything.

This page was written 2018/12/31, last edited 2023/11/16
Contact: David K. Clarke – ©
 


 
A part of the way of the future
Battery and turbines
The Hornsdale Power Reserve (AKA the Big Battery) and a very small part of the Hornsdale Wind Farm, 40 km of my home.
The main sources of the information I consume, in no particular order, are:

Information sources on the Internet:

  • The Conversation; particularly on environment, science and technology;
  • Google news alerts; I get Mr Google to keep me up with the subjects that interest me;
  • RenewEconomy helps to keep me up to date with developments in renewable energy;
  • The Guardian;
  • Sydney Morning Herald;
  • Wikipedia; I've found it to be remarkably reliable considering that it can be edited by anyone;
  • Facebook; Facebook itself is not to be trusted, it operates under its own agenda, it will use us, it uses me. But if you, like me, use Facebook it's important to have Facebook Friends who will post interesting, informative and reliable subjects;
  • ABC TV's Media Watch provides critical commentary on the media and its many failings;
  • The Internet generally; I often search for writing on subjects that interest me. A question that arrises is, which search engine to use?
  • Emails;
  • Aeon; A "digital magazine, publishing some of the most profound and provocative thinking on the web". Many of the articles published are very good;
  • I have many specific sources that I look to for information on specific subjects.

Information sources other than the Internet:

 

Beware delusions

Many, perhaps most, people are suffering from delusions. Perhaps the greatest and most widespread delusion is religion.

We must all (myself included) continually examine our beliefs a weed out any that may be delusional.

  • I have written on the things and people that have influenced me elsewhere on these pages;
  • The Drum on ABC TV, well informed discussion on the current hot topics;
  • Radio and TV news and programs, mostly the ABC, almost never the Murdoch Empire;
  • Books; libraries and from shops;
  • Newspapers: mainly local: The Plains Producer and the Yorke Peninsula Country Times; I occasionally read the Adelaide Advertiser or The Australian (both Murdoch) at a coffee shop where I don't have to contribute financially to Rupert, which would be entirely against my principles.
It is important to at least seriously consider providing some financial support for those of your information sources that may need it.

Credibility testing

Two that I have used are Source Watch and Snopes. Others are Politifact and FactCheck.org.


Another part of the way of the future
Peterborough Solar Farm
Peterborough Solar Farm; one of several in my vicinity
Photo taken with my drone, 2018/05/12