Harnessing critical thinking skills amid times of crisis

At no other point in recent history have we, in the Middle East, been so caught up in uncertainty and nervousness. As we read rolling news and engage in doom scrolling, we are also stopping at every piece of unverified news, every reel on social media, wondering what or who to trust.
In the ongoing crisis today, the rumours have flown indiscriminately. From missiles landing in the middle of prosperous Gulf cities to embassies asking all its expatriate citizens to leave, social media has been fraught with frightful details, all of which were fake.
Not only did this affect residents, but also made their families back home nervous. In fact, many were urging their family members to return, only to be told that what they were listening to was incorrect information.
Added to this was the news that supermarkets were running out of supplies, until the concerned officials took out public notices that this was not the case.
Another type of misinformation involved false reports about military attacks. In fact, some social media posts claimed that certain cities or oil facilities had been destroyed, even when there was no official confirmation. Such rumours, while traumatising the population, also had an impact on financial markets which saw many stocks slide downwards on the back of false information.
Another dangerous form of fake news is the sharing of old photos and videos from previous conflicts. These images are sometimes reposted and falsely described as events happening in the current war.
Often done for a bump in views and sharing on social media platforms, these videos only generated more panic and confusion.
Governments and news organisations in the Gulf are encouraging people to rely on trusted sources and official statements. They also warn the community not to spread unverified information online.
By checking facts and thinking critically before sharing news, people can help reduce the spread of misinformation during this period of conflict and war.
The triage of verifying, looking for evidence and taking news from trusted sources helps us to discern news from rumours at such a dangerous time.
Critical thinking helps us to sieve the information overload typical of our world today. In a time of crisis, for example, there is surfeit data in the form of rumours, supposedly expert input, and infinite social media posts.
In such a situation, the important questions to ask include: who is providing the information? What is their official or academic standing? Is there any evidence to support their claims? Is there any obvious benefit to those providing this information?
Cross-checking key facts across multiple independent sources acts as a clear guide to understanding a situation. It is also important not to instinctively share any video or ‘news’ that comes in our chat boxes.
Learning to apply critical thinking in times of crisis should be a matter of habit. Often, it is a product of strategic reading, thoughtful interactions with ideas and people, as well as practice.
By checking facts, using reliable sources, and thinking carefully before sharing information, we can protect ourselves and others from misinformation which results in panic and fearmongering.