So there has been a lot of discussion about alternate facts these days. I would like to take a moment to explain this.
Some people think there is no such thing as alternate facts. Some say there are facts and lies. Well, it is all about perception.
The Bermuda Triangle
There is a lot of information on the Bermuda Triangle. There are all sorts of facts. So, why do some people believe that the Bermuda Triangle is a strange phenomenon that “eats” ships and downs planes, and other people say it is just water?
Well, from all the facts and data from this area, we pick and choose the information that agrees with our thoughts on the subject. If you like the idea of a mysterious area, then you believe the facts that support that. If you think the mystery is silly, you pick the facts that support your point of view.
We really don’t know what, if anything, is mysterious about this patch of water. All the facts and data are true. But, they are slanted to “prove” a point of view.
The Moon Landings
This is another example. Some people believe we have had people on the moon, and some think it was just a Hollywood movie so to speak. We all see the same information. But we choose to follow the data that supports our ideas.
If it makes sense to you, you believe man has walked on the moon. And you believe the data that supports it. If you don’t believe that man could have walked on the moon, then you follow the data that says it was not possible.
Court Cases
My third and final example. I could do more, but I think you get the idea. But this one really makes a statement. If we talk about criminal cases, there is the prosecutor and the defendant. The two sides take the same information. But they present it to the court very differently, don’t they? Sometimes don’t you wonder how one set of facts can be seen differently by the two sides? Well, alternate facts.
It isn’t that there are alternate facts as much as which facts each side focuses on, right? The lawyers for either side pick the facts they want to present and either ignore the other facts or interpret the facts the other way. No one is lying. They just use the facts or the data that supports their point of view.
Does that help? I hope that helps. There is such a thing as alternate facts. But more it is choosing facts that support your point of view.
Take Care!
Lisa Y life coach, www.facebook.com/lisaylifecoach