In Response: Is "Truth" True Anymore?
by Janice Peters
Yes, we are in a media revolution of internet websites and a constant barrage of information and the "critical journalism," Jack McCurdy sites in his response to my April column, "City Staff Deserves Appreciation, Not Criticism." However, critical journalism does not mean unbiased . . . quite the contrary. On the internet, anyone can present their personal view of events as fact and there is no accountability required to identify actual fact versus personal interpretation.
Ironically, we now have an overabundance of information available, and insufficient time to research every viewpoint presented. Miami Herald columnist Leonard Pitts best described this phenomenon: "It's increasingly the case that there's no such thing as the truth. Rather, we have truths, separate but equal. We choose the one we need, based on which best validates our preferred worldview."
So Roger Ewing’s belief that the job of our top city employee changed because the title became manager instead of administrator becomes just as "true" as the fact that I was on the Council when the change was made and know that it did not in any way affect the job description or performance. (I expect Ewing’s view is simply a matter of different styles of the five people who have held that position during my tenure.)
And McCurdy defends the tactics used by opponents of a proposed redevelopment agency: "Flyers explaining the potential threat from redevelopment were delivered door to door and emails and phone calls were circulated as fears in the community began to spread that the redevelopment agency would lead to homes designated as blighted being condemned and taken from owners through the power of eminent domain," as portraying an immediate threat instead of an extremely unlikely future occurrence. (Ironically, the argument that would have been based on fact is that the State could seize RDA funds for their own use, which has since happened.)
Kari Olsen (who seems to be channeling the writings of Linda Stedjee) writes that the Morro Bay-Cayucos Joint Powers board approved a wastewater treatment plant upgrade design "using older technology. Newer, more cost-effective, and environmentally friendly technology is in use in other communities. Some residents have questioned why it was not investigated and recommended by staff." In fact, the different technologies, neither of which is new, were publicly discussed and debated at length at JPA meetings. The board majority-approved design actually is more cost-effective and environmentally friendly because it uses less power and is less expensive to operate and maintain. Olsen further states that there was, "surprise and concern that PERC Water had not been considered for the contract" without mentioning that PERC failed to submit a proposal for consideration.
I understand very well how opinions masquerade as facts, and that there are different viewpoints on every issue. Quoting Pitts again, "Maybe that's the inevitable byproduct of the information revolution. Now we have facts created for us according to our politics. Now we have ''truth'' that belongs in quotation marks. And the result is predictable, isn't it? We still have plenty of disagreement, but there's nothing honest about it."
And so, we need to constantly consider our sources, get the whole story, and keep reading between the lines.
Mayor Janice Peters
It is the Journal's policy to allow responses and rebuttals to articles to be published in the next month's issue.
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