On the Nature of Mass Media Misinformation

Curiously enough, it's often not what people don't know that gets them into the most trouble. Rather, it's what we think we already know, or "want to believe" (in error) that usually trips us up. So, although "knowledge is power," misinformation can be downright deadly. Besides, misinformation, or "colloquial wisdom," is usually based on common misconceptions, which in turn are often based on hearsay. Or, sometimes, misinformation is even the product of outright lies, disseminated by various, clearly biased entities (the media, corrupt government agencies, CULTural and/or social groups with a self-serving agenda, etc) to an often gullible, easily hoodwinked and therefore overly excitable (often to the point of outright hysteria) general public, that either doesn't want to have to bother to take the time to check the facts, or, even worse yet, they're apathetic, and just don't give a damn to begin with.