The reposted articles, questionable data graphs, and disparate discussions surrounding return-to-work have turned me cranky. It could be the pollen, too.

If not articles, where should we turn?

Start with your gut.
Dig in, then dig in again, then again.
If it doesn't have qualified sources, a wide sample size, and a proven collection process - move on.

There are people who write. (platforms/influencers)
There are writers. (bloggers)
There are reporters. (not responsible, a team of fact-checkers)
There are journalists. (responsible)
There are researchers. (paid by grants)

This isn't a hierarchy of merit. In fact, there are influencers who shit-post with far more transparency than the researchers who are hiding behind their veil.

In fact, some researchers get paid to point out things that drive a particular narrative. Some of those research grants include a publication to very well-respected media platforms. Those platforms have reporters and journalists that are responsible for citing sources. Hundreds of years of reputation will have us believe the credibility of the source.

My point is this; a dose of common sense behind vetting the source goes a long way. If you're reading from an industry publication that relies on ad sales from that publication, it might not be appropriate to publish information that causes harm to revenue. Conversely, if you're reading a publication that has a grant-writing arm and a very close relationship with a university you should feel compelled to ask more questions.

AI is getting really, really good at drawing correlations between bullshit and source. Meanwhile, the media has people in a panic about it.

Interesting times we're living in.

DYOR. If you say TLDR, you might want to start exercising that mental muscle again. The fog will set in before it lifts.

WAGMI.

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