Are You A Cy-Berean?

“I checked it out on Snopes and it’s true!” If you have ever received an email that warns of some fraud or scam, you may be familiar with this phrase. Beware. Cybersnakes abound on the web. An appeal to Snopes can be as misleading as the scam about which the email is warning.

Snopes.com is a highly regarded internet site which researches the truth status of the urban legends, myths and rumors that have cropped up on the world-wide web. Snopes has developed a reputation as a reliable authority. However, that reliable reputation has been exploited by some unscrupulous people through what is known in logic circles an appeal to authority.

An appeal to authority is essentially a form of name dropping. Consider the statement, “Einstein taught that space is curved.” As used, the statement is one of fact. Einstein did postulate that space was curved in his Theory of Relativity. Now consider a second statement: “The ability to travel faster than the speed of light is inevitable, after all, even Einstein taught that space is curved.” Tacking the Einstein statement onto an opinion about traveling very fast is an attempt make the opinion acceptable as fact.

In debating circles such blurring of fact and opinion is called fuzzy logic or faulty reasoning. Philosopher types are well equipped to counter or correct such errors in logic. The average email recipient doesn't always have the training or experience to catch when they are the intended target of what amounts to a ploy, however. Used in these circumstances, an appeal to authority is purposely intended to mislead.

In most everyday aspects of life, statements based on authority are acceptable conveniences: Fussing over whether the National Weather Service was accurate in listing -40˚ F as a new record low for International Falls, MN, can be a needless waste of effort. (Unless we have a maiden aunt living in Minnesota who casually mentioned in her last letter that she was worried about paying the heating bill this winter. In that case, we had better get on the phone to assure Aunt Gertie is okay!)

Only people like citrus farmers and winter picnickers actually obsess over the accuracy of NWS temperature measurements; more casual observers generally accept the NWS figures based on authority.

So, when should we accept something, based on authority, and when should we question a statement as a faulty appeal to authority? Here is a list of conditions to consider when evaluating a statement’s validity:

1. Relevance: What bearing does the statement have on my life? A famine in Lithobohemistan may be a genuine crisis, but unless someone is requesting a donation for relief of Lithobohemian starvation, you can probably categorize the email as interesting, but irrelevant. Once an expectation is laid on you however, your authority radar should be turned on full power. As yourself, "Why am I being sent this?" Chances are, receipt of a blanket appeal that has no reasonable connection to you is some form of a scam. (And that's what the little trash can on your tool bar is for--throw this kind of stuff away!)

2. Reverence: Does the statement invoke deity, patriotism or fidelity in attempt to gain your support for something only loosely related to God, country or family? I’ve received many emotionally charged emails which have turned nasty by callously throwing down the gauntlet of guilt. Red flags should wave and bells should clang loudly for every email that concludes, “If you love Jesus, forward this to everyone you know.” I almost always trash emails which stoop to this tactic.

3. Reference: Does the email refer you to some authority in an attempt to gain your trust? If so, call the bluff and check it out! Many are misled by their own pride. Appeals to the Bible, the U.S. Constitution or even Snopes.com as authorities can be veiled forms of flattery. Serpents excel at statements like, “The Bible says ‘Suffer the little children to come unto Me’ so surely you’ll support the Society of God’s Little Children.” You’ve never heard of the SOGLC, and aren’t sure what Jesus meant by, “Suffer the little children…”, but you’re too proud to admit your ignorance. Get over it! Which is worse, being fleeced or looking silly? A twisted scam artist doesn’t care, so long as you contribute. Go to Alert Level One and do the research whenever an authority is carelessly attached to an appeal. The Bible itself commends referential diligence: “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” Acts 17:11 (New International Version) The Apostle Paul was a penultimate authority, but even his message warranted examination against an even higher authority.

4. Regret: This plea may not affect me directly, but what if I endanger others by not passing it along? Not all appeals target our irrational tendency to feel undue guilt. Instead of extorting action on our part by appealing to our “love for Jesus”, many have discovered they can be just as successful by pushing our regret button. I may not be a target for rapists who follow little old ladies to their cars at the mall, but how many women will suffer if I fail to forward the latest sensational “warning”? Chances are, if there truly were a public safety crisis in your area, you would hear about it from local law enforcement long before a chain email found its way to your computer. Is it worth upsetting Aunt Gertie over some rumor you didn't bother checking out?

Driving a car shouldn’t give us a false sense of invulnerability, but the recent rash of road rage incidents suggest otherwise. And reading nonsense on the internet shouldn’t cause normally level-headed folk to behave irrationally. Sadly, emails I receive over and over again convince me this happens all too often, as well.

Admittedly, psychologists or sociologists are best qualified to assess what motivates people who prey on the emotions of others via the internet. But one has to ask; if creating a sense of terror furthers the cause of extremism, couldn't causing fear, regret or doubt create some sense of fulfillment--or even power--for cyberkooks. Might they want to have that power over me? Whatever their motivation, we can nullify any power they seek over us by exercising diligence and a little restraint.

Be noble Cybereans and check out the credibility of what you’re fed over the web. Snopes.com isn’t a bad place to start, provided you use it properly. Check things out! And if an email refers to or quotes Scripture, please don’t dishonor the Lord by carelessly passing it on without subjecting such statements to vigorous scrutiny.

Photo of "Robby the Robot" from
http://www.intelligent-systems.com.ar/intsyst/robby3.htm