The Thin Line Between Fact And Fiction...

_{Keira Burton}

---

We have always heard the saying that for every rumor, there is always an iota of truth in it. It does not matter how exaggerated the rumor might be, it doesn’t matter how false it would get to be in the long run, but at the beginning, what starts it all will be a truth. Even if it is a little grain.

After all, there is never smoke without fire. All rumors can be traced to their source, and if that is done, we would see where the truth comes into play in everything. It can be a bit difficult, trying to get to the root of the matter, but many times we would have no choice.

There are different reasons why people would want to start a rumor, but most of the time it is to propel a particular agenda that they have in mind. People use rumors to tarnish each other’s images all the time, companies use rumors to boost their sales and cripple rival companies, and celebrities use rumors to remain in the spotlight and keep on trending. It is a different tool for different sets of people, it all depends on what you want to use it to do.

So then, where is that fine line between fact and fiction? How do you know when the information you are hearing is based on fact? Or when it is just being exaggerated to ensure better diffusion of the rumor? Because it is something we have seen many bloggers do. They will distort the news in a way that would ensure people will log onto their site and read their stories. Using people’s lives and means of survival as clickbait.

_{Ahmed Aqtai}

And humans being humans, because we love stories, especially sad stories that have nothing to do with us, we would read it all. And then spread it.

The truth is unless we are the ones the rumors are about, or we are directly connected to the people the rumors are about, we would never really know where the fact ends and when fiction begins. We would have to take whatever we see or hear from the online space, or wherever we get our information, and we would take it like that. It is now up to us to decide if we are to go with said story, or if we are to at least try to verify it.

This is why, no matter what I read on these social media sites, it takes a lot for me to be convinced it’s real. Because even with video evidence, a simple caption can distort the story entirely from what actually transpired. That is just how powerful words can be.

And then, in this day and age, where we as a people seem to keep on relying more and more on the validation of others, rumors can be a very powerful tool to destroy someone. You can be chatting freely with someone, and all of a sudden you will see the screenshot of your chat in a blog accusing you of something you did not do. You could even send someone your voicenote, then on Tiktok, you will realize that one DJ has turned it into a form of music.

_{Andrea Piacquadio}

It is sad really, as the world progresses, we keep on getting more and more reasons not to trust each other. People are getting more scared of committing to someone else because you might meet an angel today and the person might turn out to be the devil incarnate the next day. What you think you might have shared in private could suddenly become the number one trending topic on Twitter the next day.

Life is full of surprises, and most of the time, these surprises are the ones we are never prepared for. Someone once told me that most rumors about you are started by people close to you because it is only those who really know you that can know the little truth they will need to start the rumor. And then, people who have no idea would go off and then add their own sides to the story. Making it fashionable and spicy until it becomes a roaring ball of fire that can destroy a person.

So, my dear friends, how do you take rumors? Do you just believe them hook, line and sinker without any form of verification? Do you just take it as it is? Or do you at least try to find out if the source is trustworthy? Before you spread that rumor, know that you could be destroying someone’s life if what you are spreading is not the truth.

What goes around comes around, may we not be embroiled in a rumor that will be big enough to destroy us. This is my fervent prayer.

_{M. Venter}

---

---

_{Thank you for reading. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below, I would love to know what you are thinking. Till we meet in the next post.}