Blessed & Cursed, Yet Covered With Sprinkles!

I've discovered a problem with the internet and it's a deep pimple that you just can't *POP*. While the information out there is easy and accessible, when the majority of the writers don't have a solid understanding of what they are talking about (personal understanding/perspective) you begin to have legitimate sounding material that isn't quite correct. Having a scientific background myself, I have to tell you that even people with a solid science/math background don't always fully understand what the hell is going on, present writer included. This is why critical thinking is a must for education, and I fear it is going away. Nowadays I feel there are people who side step math and science because it is "difficult". This is a side effect of our technologically advanced society, that we are brought what we want on a silver platter. I think once you have the necessary critical thinking skills, math and science comes much easier to learn and understand. I have found that many subjects are much easier to grasp with good critical thinking skills, and I find that I become more and more skeptical of scientific studies that are published, or at least reiterated by the press. When I was in college, I recall hearing pleas for more scientific writers that can digest the information of the study they are reporting, understand it and repackage into a pill that can be taken with a bit of water instead of an anus splitting suppository with devastating side affects.

I've found a few articles out there written with a bias. People asserting their opinion in their writing, when they should just be reporting the facts. Then there's the associated press. Don't even waste your time reading any of their articles. I have numerous friends who have read their articles and they have been wrong with the facts. The point it, don't believe everything that you read - put a grain or two of salt on that internet article, book or newspaper. Then, when you read it, you'll have a bit of a reminder that it could've been trumped up. If you easily swallow everything you read, it's going to give you indigestion. Fact check, think about it to see if it makes sense, do the math, don't just see numbers and assume it works. Remember everyone uses "facts" to support their argument and these are often warped to their advantage. I always thought a good debater can bring up the opposition and at least try to diffuse it, and if not, recognize that their "one way" isn't perfect.

There is also a coming boon of free education on the web. Schools like Harvard and MIT put their professors lectures online for free. These, my friends, are the sprinkles.