In a recent podcast of The Corbett Report, James Corbett takes CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) – a government funded media organization for over 90 years - to task.  Corbett shares a whistle-blower testimonial who described a period where she lost sleep over one particular topic that, as a journalist, dug a little deeper into the story but was denied the opportunity to expose the findings. It reminded me of the years I watched the 11:00 news loyally and never questioned their integrity. I accepted it all as all that was true.

But this isn’t about skepticism, media literacy, or blind trust.  It’s about the space between the stimulus – or receiving of information – and the response.

For instance, a survey says, "Six out of seven doctors recommend..." Most people accept it. A blog says, "Studies show..." Most people nod. A package label says, “Made with natural ingredients” Most people willingly buy it.

The majority rush into a trend, buy a stock, take a position, join a movement, fly a flag, repost a headline, stand with whomever, or repeat a repeated talking point.  Most people follow. Why? It’s easier. It’s convenient. And it builds acceptance.

Were we always this easy?

• Movies today hold shots far more rapidly than movies of the 50’s. 
• Television commercials cram dozens of images into seconds.
• Social media rewards rapid consumption.
• TikTok creators intentionally use jump cuts and posture shifts to reset attention.
• News cycles move at lightning speed.
• Purchases happen with one click.
• Packages ship instantly.
• Opinions are formed after reading a headline.

Are we being conditioned to react versus reflect? What happened to questions like,

“Who funded this research?“,

“What study?”, or

“What are the actual ingredients?” (after all, beaver poop is natural but I don’t want that in my crackers)

Aha! ~ Pause Before Opinion

Asking questions requires a pause. And the pause is exactly what modern life is training us to eliminate.

When everyone around you says: "This is what everybody is doing." Or “Everybody knows that” pause and ask,

“Is it right?”,

“Is it true?”,

“Does this work for me?” 

Because, let’s face it, popularity has never been proof.

For years people repeated the claim that humans only use 10% of their brains; in fact, it’s still repeated today even though neuroscientists have repeatedly demonstrated that it’s a myth.  True that we use only a fraction of our potential, but we use all of our brain every day.  The 10% statement can be repeated millions of times. Doesn’t make it any more true.

Asking questions might appear cynical but it’s more about becoming consciously aware by peeling off a few popular or repetitive layers.  It’s about giving yourself enough space between what everyone else – or the media, or the blog, or the headlines – says and asking a meaningful question to determine your true position.

If you’ve ever created a survey, you’ll know that the quality of the information you receive is directly proportionate to the quality of the questions you ask.  Same holds true for life.

Not everything deserves your agreement. 

In a world that rewards speed and profits from your attention, reclaiming the pause may be your most radical act of freedom.

Something I owned for years is this: I believe that if someone stated something that it must be true. Even if it all is true, it still may not be right for me … so now I ask questions.  More on that 2:00 EDT pm Tuesday .  email me [email protected] for the link to join the conversation.