Encouragement: Without Facts We Have No Shared Reality ~ Maria Ressa

a sundae is sweet
a soondae is salty
which of the treats
harmonizes your coffee
~ encouragement by
Selma


The aim is to offer encouragement.

“There are two ways to be fooled.
One is to believe what isn’t true;
the other is to refuse to believe what is true.”
~
Soren Kierkegaard


“If you can make people believe lies
are the fact you can control them.
~

“On social media, you repeat a lie
and it becomes truth, but guess what…
~

“We are living in the matrix,
fed an illusion.”
~ Maria Ressa. #holdtheline

“Maria Ressa: a fuel for courage.” ~ Selma Martin

YouTube 53 secs video: https://youtu.be/DDL3vqQPz_Y?si=RieuZ6gJoJkbvHae

17:03 YouTube: https://youtu.be/st74hInuvXY?si=qFUcKfYUoxxUcaWk

Points you’ll discover in the second video

  • The meaning behind the hashtag
  • The biggest battle in our information ecosystem right now
  • How journalism becomes activism
  • How fiction can be turned into fact
  • Whichever medium we use today is likely to distort our reality
  • How alternate facts come about
  • How the largest distributor of news prioritizes the spread of lies laced with anger and hate, and why
  • In the real world, we have 6 degrees of separation; now, on FB, we have 3.75 degrees of separation
  • Are we Pavlov’s dogs?
  • Spread courage–it’s contagious!

ASIDE

One of *Walter Cronkite's trademarks was ending the CBS Evening News with the
phrase "...And that's the way it is," followed by the date.

Keeping to standards of objective journalism, he omitted this phrase on nights
when he ended the newscast with opinion or commentary.

* Walter Leland Cronkite Jr. (November 4, 1916 – July 17, 2009), Television and
radio broadcaster, news anchor was an American broadcast journalist who served
as anchorman for the CBS Evening News for 19 years, from 1962 to 1981.

Other names:
Walter Wilcox,
Old Ironpants,
Uncle Walter,
King of the Anchormen.

Take from this post what serves you, but after watching both YouTube Videos, I
want to end this post by saying, “…And that’s the way it is,” September 2023.

I’m encouraged knowing Maria Ressa is out there fighting the good fight for all
of us. I hope you’re encouraged too.


UPDATE ON IN THE SHADOW OF RAINBOWS
This week, we received two book reviews, and I’m forever grateful:
So far, 27 total ratings, 25 with reviews

Translated from Japanese

5-Star rating 
It's a collection of poems where you can travel through nature
Reviewed in Japan on September 3, 2023
If you read this collection of poems, you can see that she constantly
listens to nature's voices and feels small changes in nature. I felt her
kindness as she spoke with all her heart even about the little things we
miss on a daily basis. 
There was also a poem from my childhood memories. There was also a poem
that made me feel love for my family. The poem on my mother's bracelet
made me cry in particular. 
Once you've read a poem, you may not be able to fully understand it.
However, every time I read a poem, I think I'll discover something new,
so I'd like to slowly reread it again.

4-STAR rating 
The Dance of Rainbows
Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2023
Throughout her debut poetry collection, Selma enchants as she accompanies
her reader with butterfly-lightness but also with death’s certain solemnity
through a life lived with love. The poems prompt the reader to pause, ponder,
laugh, or wipe a silent tear. So many lines stood out, to mention but a few:
“… and just like that, to the light, she swims, instinct prompts her milkweed
landing,” “…I want to be led into eternity curious, full of joy knowing the
world I leave is better for the love I gave” and “… the shy soul that houses
me drops to depths unencumbered.”

Autumn is weeks away. Many cultures attribute symbolic meaning to the seasonal
shift and think of them as potent pivot points to the transition.

Within Chinese tradition, the number of leaves alludes to people.
Within Pagan rituals, gratitude for the bountiful harvest.
Buddhists traditionally believed equinoxes as days when the space between the
world of the living and dead is at its thinnest, making the equinoxes important
days to honor ancestors and remember.

These are reminders that Mother Earth has a powerful influence on our
lives: we consciously align our minds with the energy of our planet.

What purposeful activity comes with Autumn! I cannot wait to find out what it’ll
bring for me.

Have a lovely Sunday, everyone. I wish you miracles.

Selma Martin
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This Post Has 15 Comments

    1. Selma Martin

      You too. And when the new week begins, have a glorious week, my friend. Blessings. Stay sweet.

  1. beth

    here’s to Maria keeping up the fight

  2. robertawrites235681907

    This is an interesting post, Selma. I am astonished at what gets told as truth on social media. I’m even more surprised by what people believe. This was one of the themes of my book, Through the Nethergate.

    1. Selma Martin

      Amazing what people believe. But like Maria Ressa points out, a lie told a million times… But really, for being intelligent humans, sometimes one just shakes ones head in disbelief at how people turn believers. Your book sounds incredible to me. Wow. One day I will get it too. Bless you for writing another amazing book. Good words matter. xoxo

    1. Selma Martin

      I appreciate you saying that, dear Cheryl. Every review makes me feel seen and appreciated. i WILL treasure these forever. And the same to you, your reviews are simply lovely. I know your book will be a success. Happy Tuesday. xoxo

  3. michnavs

    Congratulations on another wonderful review Selma…and 🍸🍸🍸 cheers to our words that make a difference.

    P. S.

    I am a journalism graduate and i say i did not pursue a career on broadcast journalism – simple reason, i got totally dis illusioned. ..the lessons we learned from our 4 years University degree aren’t exactly what’s happening in the real world of mass media..

    1. Selma Martin

      Thanks, dear Mich. I accept your congratulatory words graciously. All these reviews are humbling me. And thanks for sharing about journalism. Glad we have you hear with us as our lovely poet. xoxo

  4. memadtwo

    It’s so hard to tell what is true anymore. But we must fight to find out. (K)

    1. Selma Martin

      We must fight to find out and get the facts right. Thanks K. Blessings, always. xoxo

  5. rajkkhoja

    Going happy Sunday! Very interesting you sharing your review. I like. Wonderful write a review.
    “a sundae is sweet
    a soondae is salty
    which of the treats
    harmonizes your coffee”
    There are two ways to be fooled.
    One is to believe what isn’t true;
    the other is to refuse to believe what is true.”
    ~ Soren Kierkegaard

    1. Selma Martin

      That’s an incredible quote, RAj. so happy you liked that one, and my funny one too *smiling*. Blessings.

      1. rajkkhoja

        Yes, I like too.

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