Truth be told

I have always believed in absolute truth, but I have also long accepted that truth is always tainted by the interpretation of the beholder. However, this acceptance does not stop me from wanting to bang my head against my keyboard every time people get suckered into something blatantly false.

The suckers of late have been my parents, particularly with regard to their uncertain relationship with the internet and the number of inaccuracies that have bred and thrived in this distorted environment.

I have told both parents on no uncertain terms that I have filtered out all forwarded emails (this has, on occasion, filtered out genuine forwards from people showing me something of interest but the effect, on the whole, has rendered my inbox a peaceful place).

I had a comb through the e-bin this afternoon and came across a really disturbing picture sent to me in a email from my mum about washing bras before wearing them. The premise of the email was to wash your bras before wearing them because they could be full of parasites that would cause the 'damage' in the picture.

The digitally savvy, myself included, can immediately see that although grotesque, the picture is fake, digitally manipulated. Unfortunately someone like my mother cannot. Result is, she panics and sends the email to my sister and I reminding us to wash new bras before we wear them OR ELSE.

This email has also come from a woman who religiously watches 'Border Security' the reality TV show that gives ordinary Australians a snapshot of what organisations like the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service, Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship go through to save Australia from all sorts of unwanted pests.

I replied with this email:

Mum,

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE check is something is really true before you send it around - and tell your friends to do the same. There are so many lies on the internet and so much to worry about in the world that we really can't spare the time to worry about fake things.

The photo is quite obviously digitally manipulated.

You also forget Australia's rigorous quarantine laws and checking procedures.

You can read more about this fake email warning here:
http://www.snopes.com/photos/medical/breastrash.asp

The site www.snopes.com is very good for checking whether something is true. Sometimes, something is true - but the chances of it happening are so slim that it's really not worth passing on.

Now, pass this email back up to the person who sent it to you and ask them to do the same.

The education never stops Chez Witmol.