Go to Source!

There is an ever-growing reliance on seeking information from social medial platforms with no assurance that any response is going to be accurate! This was most evident during the protest period when information about transport times, school openings, entertainment, etc were being sought from social media platforms instead of the apps and websites set up for the purpose of providing the information first hand. There seems to be a greater trust placed in information provided by unknown people than in those who have been appointed to serve the particular purpose! This reminds me of my teen years when seeking permission to do something or to acquire something from my parents with the introduction 'everyone is going' or 'everyone says', and taking some time to realise that these were never good opening phrases! The opening response was always: 'well, everyone doesn't live in our house!' Only our own reasoning was acceptable!

As I drove through the countryside last week, I saw animals and their young grazing in the fields or sheltering from the rain, or hail, or sleet .... The young lambs and calves were close to their mothers in all circumstances. The bodies of most of the animals, most of the time, were pointing in the same direction for the reasons of being herd animals, or to face in the direction of the sun or for their own protection by natural instinct. Often when one moved, they all moved the same distance as they grazed or moved towards shelter. This is how herd animals get along and share space!

The benefit and burden of being human is that we have a greater power of reasoning than animals. While we live in community and are connected to one another, we need consensus to live well together. We also need our individual differences and opinions to progress meaningfully! We have as many ways of living life as there are people, with respect for boundaries being the line that serves the freedom to do this well.

Responses on social media can be useful, but often turn into polar arguments even though the query or comment was innocent and without guile! It's more satisfying to seek information at source or from people whom I know have the correct information. It's also preferable to enter and leave the interaction with a smile rather than with a new and growing argument. We all share the same space with human intelligence over herd instinct!

Cathy Burke
Catechist in the Lucan Partnership of Parishes