Expressing Yourself
There is nothing so wrong as accepting a thing merely because men who have done things say it should be so. ~Alfred Stieglitz
Among the perils of the Internet age is that it has become harder than ever to trust the veracity of, and motivations behind, information and advice offered online. Where in the not-too-distant past those offering public advice, information or opinion, had to prove their qualifications to do so and were held to certain ethical standards before given a public platform, today much information is offered by so-called influencers, for which the only required qualification is the ability to gather a following. Certainly, some excellent and conscientious influencers are out there, offering sage advice, thoughtful contemplations and useful information; however given the great diversity of sources, motivations and opinions, it is incumbent upon consumers of such information to exercise prudence and scrutiny, rather than accept anything as given by virtue of an author’s popularity.