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The Power of Words
“Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never
hurt me.” Well yes, with a fiberglass cast, your bones heal. But
once false statements are published about people or companies,
who forgets?
On the Internet poor reporting practices are pervasive.
Internet sites are open to bogus and planted rumors where
sometimes fictional names are used in addition to real ones by
those with questionable motives or bias who seek to persuade us
with their words. This is done on blogs, web
pages, discussion boards or email newsletters. Professional writers may skip
journalistic standards of research and documentation so they can
rush to build careers with negative tabloid titillating level
accusations and statements to damage others. Such reports often
appear to be reported as fact but often are just their opinion
mixed with some false information.
When reporting is not based on facts, these blogs, news reports,
articles, Internet pages, and newsletters harm us all. The
writers that ignore journalist standards at the expense of
destroying others’ hard earned reputations use their words with
the sole intent of building their careers. After all, there is
big money in stirring up controversy regardless of its
truthfulness.
Using words to destroy boils down to one thing: bullying. A
bully is someone who acts to gain power over another. Kids will
joke or poke; adults will defame others with false information on
the Internet and in the media. Bullies want power without paying
the price of hard work. Some of these bullies have tried to use
their power to extort income or obtain a job with threats to
publish false information to ruin a company. When the company
does not buckle under their threats, then caustic reports can
be published about the company throughout the Internet in
less than a day.
As tabloid level reporting becomes mainstream what
information sources can we trust? As a reading public we need to
begin to actively read with discernment and hold reporters
accountable to high standards.
For example, if we read an article where a reporter fails to
quote a
source and states wild accusations such as an individual or company is
under a police investigation, or has legal problems should we just
blindly believe it?
Should we at least look to see what valid reporting
credentials the "journalist" has such as a degree in
the field and or is reporting for a valid news organization that
routinely checks the facts and has a good reputation in the news
industry? Reported negative statements should have
the where, when, how and why facts documented before such damaging information is
ever reported
or believed. Reporters should be contacted for such facts and held accountable when they
merely use a
snippet of fact, and purposely not reveal positive aspects or results, just
to paint a large false derogatory impression in the minds of
their readers for their own purposes.
Words have the power to inspire as well as to depress,
degrade and assault. Unfortunately, too many of today’s
Internet reporters do not seem to understand that—or, at the very least, to care.
At American Book Publishing, we’ve made the choice to take a
stand. Words have a purpose, and it’s not to beat down, bully, or
damage others. Words can—and should—be used to uplift and
inspire. We are proud to make - wholesome language, respectful
use of the names of deity, and refusal to publish hate or erotic
content our publishing standards.
Words can be a healing balm on a wound or hurt like gasoline
on fire poured over the heart of a human soul. American Book has
made a choice about the words we’ll print. Do the other web
sites you visit maintain similar high standards?
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