Resolutions we can keep

AImost two weeks after the New Year, I'm sure many of us are still struggling with the resolutions we made - you know, the same ones we announced a year ago, like losing weight, buying no more (supply the object shoes, watches, dresses), emptying the closet and being nicer to (supply the officemate or in-law).

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I had to think that there must be resolutions we can make and actually keep - not easy or frivolous ones, but resolutions that will make a real difference in how we think, behave and live. Here's what I came up with: 1. I will not help spread fake news and hoaxes. Fighting for the truth begins with a healthy skepticism and the patience to verify. There's no such thing as "harmless" fake news passed on.

Last year I had to gently warn a score of friends-smart people with outstanding reputations who posted on Facebook about Meta claiming the rights to their pictures and about pages turning blue ("It really happened!"). It's a hoax that's been going around for years, I told them; there was no such thing as the post described. What's the harm, they said, just wanted to be sure. Well, the harm is in the propagation; every repost expands the space for fake news to grow, and the poster's credibility only magnifies it further. That credibility also takes a hit, when it's shown to absorb and help spread falsehood. Next time, visit a reputable fact-checker like www.snopes.​com to verify a dubious post. The days are gone when you can assume that what you see is true unless proven otherwise; if you have to assume anything, assume the opposite.

2. I will think before I respond. I will reserve judgment until I understand the situation better, with clearer context and trustworthy and verifiable sources. It's been said that today, especially online and on social media, people don't read to understand, but to reply. Many of us have trigger itch - the compulsion to react to and comment on anything and everything that crosses our gunsights.