Healthy skepticism can be helpful

A little skepticism goes a long way.

We were reminded of that Friday, the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Here in rural Indiana, we were mostly isolated from the direct impact of the attacks. Though we were distraught by the threat to our nation, most did not personally know someone who was killed that day.

Still, there was panic, even here.

It came out in different forms.

Some worried about whether more attacks would come. Would other cities be hit? Was this a one-time incident or the start of something more?

In the hours and days immediately following the attacks, that was unclear.

There were also practical matters to be dealt with. Like gasoline prices.

With the suspicion that the attacks originated from the Middle East, which produces a large chunk of the world’s petroleum, rumors started flying that gas prices were going to soar. Some even said they had shot up to $5 in Indianapolis already. Gas stations in Portland had lines down the street in order to get gas before the increases inevitably reached us.

When asked how someone had found out about the increasing gas prices, the answer usually went something like this: “My second cousin’s friend’s girlfriend knows a guy in Kokomo who heard it from his stepbrother’s college roommate.”

In other words, it was a game of telephone. And, as it turned out, not a particularly successful one.

On the evening of Sept. 11, 2001, we pulled out a phone book, selected an Indianapolis gas station and called.

We asked the manager there if his prices had gone up. They had not.

We asked if he had heard of prices going up elsewhere in the city. He had not.

Rumor debunked.

In fact, U.S. Energy Information Administration data shows the average U.S. gas price on Sept. 10, 2001, was $1.56. The average price a week later? Still $1.56.

By the end of the year it had dropped to below $1.15. It didn’t climb above $2, let alone $5, until mid-2004.

The point of all this is that when we receive second-hand information, we shouldn’t just accept it at face value. We should consider the following questions:

•Does that seem accurate?

•Where did this information come from?

•Do other sources agree?

•By asking some basic questions, can I confirm it?

•Do I have the whole story, or just snippets of information that require more context?

We live in a world in which we are all connected. It’s no longer just news anchors, radio hosts and reporters that can reach a wide audience. Anyone can say anything at any time and make it available to everyone via the internet and social media.

In some ways, that’s a good thing. But it can also be extremely harmful if we blindly believe everything we see, read and hear at face value.

As we continue to navigate ever-changing technology and an unending 24-hour news cycle, we need to have a healthy skepticism. We need to ask questions. We need to think critically.

Doing those things will help assure that we don’t end up chasing wild geese … or wasting time waiting in long lines for cheap gas. — R.C.