How careful are we in our postings?

S

Sejanus.Aelianus

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I got to thinking about this, after my wife received an invitation to sign a petition about the culling of robins, you know, the happy little feathered chappies with the red breasts, so beloved of Christmas card manufacturers...

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Well, it turns out that the petition was silly from start to finish.

Natural England, the body that controls and carries out the UK's policies on wildlife, were being accused of allowing building developers to obtain culling licences for Robins. Natural England, on their website, report that this assertion is a downright lie. Licences are being granted solely for health and safety reasons and, even then, only in special circumstances.

So, my question is: when we post here about photography, techniques, personalities and so on, how careful are we to check our facts? Where do we check them? Just how prudent are we in following the old Time-Life inc. mantra of "check, check and check again"?

Or do we just write whatever we feel like and shrug, when challenged: "it's only the internet, stupid"?
 
Most of the time, people add a note in which they either state their sources (website, book, ... etc.), or they say "in my opinion", which is what you get; an honest opinion.
 
I think that, here, on RFF, people most often get their facts straight, or close.

However, in "real life" I find that people almost never get their facts together, never collect all the facts, and they interlace verified facts with their opinions.

I am always reminded of how precise and important it is to say ".... to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth." There are good reasons why that oath is worded the way it is.

(Did I take this topic too too seriously ?)
 
Facts?........Facts,......we ain't got no facts...we don't need no stinken facts.

With apologies to "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre"
 
I try to draw on my experiences, or state the basis for my belief that I post. Or I try to say it is my belief (opinion).

I fail in other things in life as well.
 
I don't see this as a problem on RFF.

I feel like quoting Yogi Berra, "I never said most of the things I said." — or paraphrasing him, more to the point: "90% of what's said on RFF is correct, and the other half is close to it."
 
That's why we should never take anything for granted. Always do your own research till you have an opinion of your own on the subject..
 
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