Our brain receives over 11 million bits of information per second, which is an incredible amount of data. Luckily for us it only processes around 50 bits. However, how true and important the bits of data are, is a different question.
Over the past 12 months, I have seen a steady rise in the amount of dis and mis information being shared with people. Whether it is fake news stories that have been sensationalised, conspiracy theories on COVID, to just outright lies by people in powerful and influential positions. Knowing what is true or accurate; what and who to trust; has become one of the major challenges for us. Especially given the overwhelming amount of information overload.
Growing up, I used to be glued to a comic or fictional book, and I remember being told off for reading “such rubbish”. Funny how times have changed and we are all glued to our screens. This magical device that provides an infinite amount of information. As it is all coming through the same channel, it makes it even harder to decipher. It is almost as if we are living in a world of “Chinese Whispers”.
Oh, how I wish for comics for our kids, which were probably more factual than the rubbish they are exposed to now. So, developing and maintaining a Bullshit radar seems to be one of the most important skills we can develop. Interpreting the conspiracy theories – that COVID was derived by mind controlling aliens, to Bill Gates being responsible for developing a nano-tech vaccine through Microsoft so that he can eventually “CTRL-ALTDLT” us all – some of the stories are so far-fetched they would make incredible science fiction. Yet there are people out there that genuinely believe them.
As we appear to come out of the lockdown with a roadmap announced, potentially allowing us to party in June, the only reason this has been made possible is down to the vaccine roll-out. The decline in deaths from over a 1,000 a day, to now just over a 100 is clearly a factual demonstration that the vaccine appears to work. Although, I must admit that initially I was vaccine hesitant, but once again, this was due to me not fully understanding the facts and having all of the information I needed to comfort me. Even now, I still don’t know why I am three times more likely to die than a White person, and no-one has been able to explain this to me. But I do know one thing for certain, that if I had a choice between living and dying, and the vaccine enabled me to live and protect those close to me, then I am getting vaccinated and long live those aliens. Plus, when the wife says that if we have to have a vaccine passport to travel and I don’t have one, then she is going on holiday without me, is a significant driver. And my great lady only speaks the truth.
So, protect yourself, don’t listen to everyone’s crap, and get vaccinated. Develop Turd Immunity and I guarantee a happy and maybe even a long life… Ammar Mirza CBE is Chair & Founder of Asian Business Connexions, Chair of the NELEP Business Growth Board, Chair of the IoD North East (North) and holds various positions across the public and private sectors.
