False impressions
For the avoidance of doubt, I have to research much of the information I write in my blog posts. There are a few things I know, like how to tell the difference between male and female starlings, or the colour of an octopus’s blood, or what is meant by a fronted adverbial (one of the dafter things ten and eleven-year-olds need to know, apparently) but even those I check to make sure I’ve got my facts right.
Sometimes what we know to be right evolves to become incorrect or inaccurate as new evidence is discovered. That makes history interesting, and science ever more fascinating.
I’m learning all the time, as so many of us are. New knowledge is retained sketchily, the most outlandish or gruesome facts sticking more readily than the commonplace.
I find real experts fascinating to listen to. They are enthusiastic, articulate, and able to explain complex ideas in a readily comprehensible way. They also enable their listeners to feel, albeit fleetingly, almost as intelligent as them. Leaving an audience feeling good about themselves is a gift and is likely to encourage at least some of them to pursue a passing interest in more detail.
Nice that you do the research. I LOOOOOOVE learning new things. It's the best! Wishing you a groovy new week. Cheers, Ivy.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ivy. 😃
DeleteYes, I find I need to research things constantly before posting something on my blog too. It’s really amazing that this research is now at our finger tips with our computers.
ReplyDeleteI have noticed that in your blog posts, Kay. Perhaps it's a 'teacherly' thing. 😉
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ReplyDeleteSometimes knowledge recorded in the past was wrong but changes will occur as new evidence emerges. I have no trouble with that.
ReplyDeleteBut recorded knowledge was sometimes deliberately presented for political, religious or economic reasons, and that will always be tricky to unwind.
Even trickier now, with AI in the mix.
DeleteI wonder how much AI is learning from outdated and plainly wrong information. EG In part, will it positively present the morning sickness drug Thalidomide as a good advance in medicine?
ReplyDeleteThat is entirely possible. Always check your sources.
DeleteI love learning new things which I often do when reading your blog.
ReplyDeleteAs I do, with yours. 😃
Deletelearning new things every day and even more so now that i have you tube/goog/e and instagram and YOUR blog! One you tube that may interest you is called "The Big Think". Informative and varied depending on what you want to take in, the most recent one re: memory is stellar.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LViE-cD_WJQ
DeleteThank you for the link, Linda Sue. I will enjoy.
DeleteLearning new things is the very essence of life. Each day should be a journey of discovery of one kind or another.
ReplyDeleteIndeed. That discovery may be small, large, personal, or any number of other things, but it is important.
DeleteThe problem is, society is filled with so many fake experts.
ReplyDeleteFake experts usually trip themselves up sooner or later, or are exposed by people who really know what they're talking about. It can take time, though.
DeleteI also love learning now little snippets of info but, as everyone says, the rise of AI makes it hard to tell what is true and what is fake and things are increasingly being manipulated and distorted. Tricky times . xx
ReplyDeleteI think there will be new career opportunities in identifying false AI information. There probably already are.
DeleteI am far more wary now of just accepting what I read as fact. It takes me much longer to research information for my blog now than it used to.
ReplyDeleteYour blog relies on history, and sifting fact from opinion can be testing. The end result, though, is rewarding.
DeleteI am completely with you on all this, Janice.
ReplyDeleteThat's why I love a good work of non-fiction; it does exactly what you describe, transmitting knowledge "in an enthusiastic, articulate way, able to explain complex ideas in a readily comprehensible way".
Have you read "The Importance of Being Interested" by Robin Ince? if not, I believe you would enjoy it. You can read my review here:
https://librarianwithsecrets.blogspot.com/2022/06/read-in-2022-17-importance-of-being.html
Thank you for the link, Meike. Wonderful review and I have now ordered the book!
DeleteI like Robin Ince's programme with Brian Cox, 'The Infinite Monkey Cage.'
I am pleased to read that you have ordered the book! It will be interesting to compare notes, so to speak.
DeleteI listened to In Our Time, an old episode on BBC sounds last night, on the artist Escher. As well as being interesting and informative, I loved the way the two mathematicians were so enthusiastic, and also careful to make the complex mathematics comprehensible. I'd gone off the series with Melvin Bragg as host, but Misca Glenny is doing a good job. As you say, it's important to leave the listener with the feeling that they have been able to follow and learn.
ReplyDeleteSuch programmes remain with you, don't they? I marvel at them.
DeleteI always check my facts, things we have always known change as more information is found. I do love to watch and listen to animated experts.
ReplyDeleteSometimes things that have been dismissed as nonsense prove to be accurate - I can't think of an example right now, of course . . .
ReplyDeleteI love learning new things but don't necessarily retain them. What often goes through my mind though is a 'truth' really a truth. This doubting habit can be a nuisance though.
ReplyDeleteI think it's essential to keep questioning and assure ourselves of the truth of things.
DeleteYour last paragraph - so very very true
ReplyDeleteI know you are a seeker after truth, F.
DeleteI don't necessarily do much research but whenever I don't know the answer to something I turn to google.
ReplyDeleteWhat would we do without google?
DeleteAs your old primary school teacher Miss S. Pitt used to say, "Janice is very curious". She was right about that. Very curious indeed.
ReplyDelete🙄
DeleteI love learning new things, after all it's what keeps our brains ticking over. Luckily, I am pretty good at retaining the things I learn, even more so when they come in dribs and drabs a few things each day. I think Google is good, but it and even Wikipedia, is never infallible, and a lot of AI is not good at all. We must all just do the best we can to get facts and not untruths out there.
ReplyDeleteYou're quite right, Sue, but if we don't have the correct information we can only know it's incorrect if we know the facts in the first place - Catch 22, almost!
DeleteAlways good to learn new things ... no matter our age.
ReplyDeleteEach and every day brings discovery and possibility.
All the best Jan
It keeps our brains active, possibly in the wrong sort of way . . . 😉
DeletePS The hydrangea in your header is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
Oh, thank you - I am pleased with the hydrangeas generally.
DeleteMy father, who was a teacher for many years, taught us to never stop learning.
ReplyDeleteMy father, who wasn't a teacher but would have loved to have been one, taught us the same thing.
DeleteYou post made me think of a man who came here to explain us the history of the castle and it's way to become a retirement home. I had already written about it, but I found it interesting to listen what he had to say and if we agreed on everything. The guy was that kind of "I know it better" and did not support another opinion. To my great delight, 103-year-old Gilberte stood up and informed the gentleman that a lot of his "tales" were incorrect, as she had known the château since childhood and used to play in the park. She then shared her version with us, and we laughed a lot; it turned out that the château had been purchased by a convent, which had constructed an extension and joined the two structures together. She went on to recount some juicy tales involving the young nuns and the various priests who lived there (in a separate building right outside my window)— so that the "know-it-all" fell silent, packed up his things, and vanished. When you have lived history yourself, even the best documentary cannot compare.
ReplyDeleteThat is wonderful. I dislike know-it-alls - they're so tiresome.
ReplyDeleteI always did well at grammar but I have never heard of a fronted adverbial, so I looked it up. It turned out to be what on this side of the pond is called an adverbial phrase. Two nations divided by the same language, and all that. . Don't get me started on biscuits versus cookies, diapers versus napkins, hoods versus bonnets, boots versus trunks. I could go on but I won't.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the post, Janice.
I also want to get facts correct in my blog posts, which often sends me down rabbit holes.
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