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Fight disinformation and misinformation

The war in the Ukraine is atrocious!

It is however a good case study in disinformation and misinformation. When listening to the BBC, CNN, NBC, Al Jazeera, one narrative is being presented. When watching QAnon, Fox News or RT (the Russian state owned and sponsored channel), a completely different picture is shown.

Who to believe?

First, it is important to understand that there will always be different narratives depending on who you support. Being aware of this makes it a lot easier to seek out information that is in direct opposition to what we believe in and then analyze it. The Ad Fontes Media Chart is a media bias watchdog organisation and their Ad Fontes Media Chart is one of the better known ones. As is the AllSides Media Bias Chart who groups media outlets into which direction they are leaning.

Being aware of different viewpoints, it is paramount to actually find sources which cover the different angles on the same topic. Looking at the war in Ukraine, I recommend to follow your local news channels, international outlets as well as Ukrainian and Russian news if you can receive them. Yes, it is important to understand and know about different viewpoints, opinions – even if we don’t agree with them. Being able to have better conversations, we may even be able to engage with people who think differently and as a result reduce their bias.

Second, always try and verify information on multiple, reputable sources. Just because something is on a social media platform, doesn’t make it true. I’d suggest you’d be especially cautious if you see a social media comment without the source being quoted. If there is a link to the source, do follow it to make sure it actually matches the message you originally read.

Most importantly, look at the actions and behaviours instead of the words. Words are cheap and easy. Actions and behaviours take effort. Actions and behaviours carry consequences. Therefore, it is a lot harder for someone to cover for actions if they are not aligned with words. So look hard at someone’s behaviour, the consequences and then think about what the reason (justification?) must have been.

A simple example is: if your partner is nice to you and helps with the household chores and brings you flowers or rubs your feet consistently for years, then you can assume they love you and want to be with you. If your partner ignores you, makes jokes about you to his friends or is mean to you, then possibly they don’t love you.

A real life example: look at president Zelenskyy and Putin. Both hold the same role: to govern their respective countries. Both are using traditional and social media to air their point of view. Yet Zelenskyy appears to be fighting with his soldiers to defend his country whilst Putin insists on physical distance even from his closest advisors. Zelenskyy promises Russian soldiers full amnesty and money if they surrender whilst Putin is jailing peaceful protesters. Zelenskyy and his team set up websites to try and return captures soldiers back to their families whilst Putin’s army is bombing civilians including children.

So how will you consume news going forward? Will you focus on multiple news sources? Will you observe actions over words? What actions will you take?

Don’t fall for disinformation and misinformation. Get smart! Get informed!

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Ukraine in urgent need for help!

War is never good.

We have all seen the invasion of Ukraine by Russia last week which is still evolving. Too many people, including civilians and children, have died. Russia’s aggression seems to increase by sending ever more troops, missiles and bombs.

Personally, I’m heartbroken ever time I listen to the news.

Coming form a country which was invaded by Hitler’s Nazi Germany, I remember my grandparents telling me about how the war started. It started exactly the same way in which it is starting in the Ukraine right now.

Flag of Ukraine
Flag of Ukraine

I urge you to help the Ukraine any way you can. It may seem difficult to help if you live far away and have never been near a similar war situation before. Please consider these small actions and see if you can find it in you to help:

Donate! Donate! Donate!
I understand that not everyone has spare cash to share with people they have never met. Still, I hope that some of you can donate a little to keep help efforts underway.
There are plenty of organizations who currently focus on the crisis in and around Ukraine. Some of them are:

Help refugees / charities directly. If you live close to the Ukrainian border, check out local organizations which can direct your efforts to maximize all your combined efforts. Even if you live further afield, have a look around in your community or your online social groups to see if there are self-organizing groups that deliver help to where it’s needed. Every small action to support those in need is welcome.

Educate yourself on the situation in the Ukraine, its history, the cultural differences between the countries in the region and what the actual reason for the invasion is.
My strong recommendation is that you seek out news from different news outlets from all parts of the media spectrum to get a full picture of what “both sides” are saying. Then take your time and think and come up with your own conclusion.

Political education should be part of everyone’s curriculum at school. It is paramount that every single person understands how political systems work and how they differ from each other. Only then can they understand what options are on the table when they go to vote.

Unfortunately, this is not the case.

That is why is it up to all of us to seek out political education and learn so that we start to understand the world around us.

Engage in the political process to ensure your country remains free.
Some option are to run for office in your local area or join a local school board. You could also be more active in your political party either by taking on an official role or simply by facilitating fair elections. Many seemingly small steps can help: debating on one party versus another in your local social club; trying to increase voter turn out by going door to door and informing locals ahead of the elections or by arranging transport for locals to and from the voting stations.

Vote to keep your own country from falling into dictatorship!
Prepare ahead of time by making sure you are eligible to vote on the day or via post. Then vote!

For all of the above points, I urge you to include your children, family and friends. It is vitally important that everyone – especially the next generation – is aware of how bad things can get and what can be done to prevent such a situation from happening time and time again.

Most importantly, you have to stand up to injustice – no matter how small or how big – no matter if you will get hurt yourself in the process – no matter what – you have to stand up for yourself!

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Celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Day today!

Yes, today is the Random Acts of Kindness day!

You can find out more on the official Random Acts of Kindness website.

How cool is that? There is an organization working on spreading random acts of kindness and showing that they are great things to do. Just look at their ideas page! Awesome.

Did you know that random acts of kindness not only benefit the beneficiary but also benefit yourself? Yes, it is often reported to increase well-being, lowers blood pressure and

Now that we covered the what and the why, how should you go about it?

The simple answer is: do something kind.

Anything counts. If your neighbor needs help shopping, help them. If you see the single mum with the toddler drop something, pick it up and return it. Invite someone for a coffee – whether you stay and have it with them is up to you as well. As per the University of Berkeley, Greater Good in Action initiative, feeding a parking meter if you see it’s out of money, is an option too. There are no rules: anything you consider an act of kindness is perfect.

Just remember: Random acts of kindness day is definitely a day to keep an open eye for opportunities to be kind. However, you don’t need to restrict yourself to just one day. There are 364 other days in the year. Keep the kindness going.

What will you do today?

What will you do this week?

What will you do this year?

What will you do this life?

Be kind

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Here is the answer to the toughest question on Universal Basic Income (UBI) yet

After my last article, I received a fair few questions and also some complaints. The main point being around: “Why should lazy people who don’t want to work and do everything they can to stay on social welfare also get UBI? Where is the incentive to work?”

In short: “Why give lazy people money?”

The answer is simple: if someone doesn’t want to work, they will never do good work.

Over my 30 years of work experience, I had the pleasure of working with some great minds, creative thinkers and motivational leaders. I also worked with those who would rather stay home and play video games. This last group is the one who I think is more disruptive in the workplace than any other. They don’t necessarily break things but they lower morale by complaining and whinging; they keep productive people from doing their job by drawing them into long drawn out conversations; they use resources that are needed to move the company forward.

So, I hear you ask: why do they have jobs now?

They are in their jobs because they had their job yesterday and the day before. The real reason though is that our current socioeconomic system requires us to work for money. So they have to work. Whether they like it or whether they are good at it doesn’t matter. It’s not a choice. If you want to eat, you better have a job.

That is where a Universal Basic Income (UBI) comes into place. A recent report by the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, UK, showed that poverty would be cut in half by the introduction of UBI.

Be honest, do you really want to work with disruptive, demoralizing, downer colleagues?

If not, then I suggest you sign the European Citizens’ Initiative for the Universal Basic Income!

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Sign on to Universal Basic Income NOW!

Now is the time to sign on to the European Citizens’ Initiative on Universal Basic Income!

Logo from European Citizens’ Initiative

What is a Universal Basic Income? I hear you ask. It’s a good question.

Universal Basic Income is the concept that every person should receive a basic income no strings attached, no means testing, no having to go the job centre… NO strings attached at all. It will be enough money to live on if you’re in between jobs or if you are studying and need to focus on your future. Single mothers also benefit since, if they choose to, they can stay home and look after their kids.

Will rich people get it to? Why bother then? … those are questions I hear a lot and the answers are simple: yes, everyone gets the same amount and everyone gets taxed on their overall wealth. That means that rich people will most likely get taxed the whole amount whereas people on my end of the scale will not be taxed since I don’t earn enough and therefore I’m below the first tax bracket.

Don’t trust me alone though. Andrew Yang supported Universal Basic Income throughout his presidential and NY mayoral campaigns. He may not be great at winning votes but he is awesome at maths and he did the numbers and they work.

The maths for Universal Basic Income does also work in Alaska where the Alaska Permanent Fund was established in 1976 and it is still running. Yes, Universal Basic Income works.

My reasons for supporting UBI are simple: it makes the world a fairer place. Had I received it all those many years ago during college, I may not have needed to live on the street (temporarily). I wouldn’t have needed to work 3 jobs to make ends meet – whilst studying full time. I could have quit the job with the creepy boss who gets “handsy” when you’re alone with him. Even my mother may have had a chance of an education herself.

It is this one small action which matters in years and decades to come. If you sign on now, together, we can change how our society treats each and every member.

What do you think now? Will you look at the proposal? Will you sign up?

When you are ready, signing up couldn’t be easier. Go to the European Citizens’ Initiative, enter your details and sign on. Your children will thank you for it.