Gullible

I quite like the line up of tv on Thursday nights.  Foreign Correspondent, QI, Would I Lie to You and a show on the ABC I had never seen before.  “Tomorrow Tonight” with Annabel Crab hosting.
They discussed a few things but the one that stood out to me and what they spent ages covering was the ability these days to put words in people’s mouths.  They showed how easy it is to have someone say what they never said, on video.
The point was made that in the early days of Publisher it was easier to tell a phony.  The technology has developed big time, and now it is very much harder to pick the fake from the real.
I was reminded of the early days of science fiction in movies.  Once it was really easy to tell something was fake.  Now it is seamless.  I am transported to other worlds and watch battles that look totally real.  We watched Star Trek “Into Darkness” last night and fights were had on top of crafts and big jumps made onto flying moving vehicles.  Not once did I think “that does not look real.”
I also thought of how untold damage is done to property and people based on a rumour only.  “Someone said” and masses spring into action.  Even in the current conflict each side gets told what those in power want them to hear.  Even falsities get spread as truth.  A point made I tend to agree with, is that no matter what is said half will believe it and half won’t.  For me half of a lot is a lot.
That is not the same as they were talking about, but to me it is the same in that an untruth is propagated to achieve a desired result.  It sorta seems to be a bit of a theme of mine of late, but I tend to just run with it till it runs dry.
It got me thinking how hard it is to discern the truth from a lie.  My faith is a defence, but it is something I need to keep my guard up for.
I was considering how hard it can be.  For me, gut feelings are something I go by, but even then, sometimes something is said or done, and my first response is to want to lash out.  I am so glad for wait time.  More than once I have changed for the better what my first reaction was.
I do not think I am imagining things to think this day and age is one where it is getting increasingly difficult to tell the truth from a lie.  Technology is way more sophisticated than it has ever been. Now more than ever it seems the quote is applicable “A Lie Can Travel Halfway Around the World While the Truth Is Putting On Its Shoes.”  To me that does not mean that a lie will win the day, but it indicates how quickly lies can spread when words are put in people’s mouths.