by Francesco Pellegrini

The recent explosion of the Fake News phenomenon creates interest, curiosity, suspicion... The term is used and abused daily in information, particularly in the political field. The attractive English expression applies to the "ultramodern" re-edition of an ancient deception: fake news, weapons of disinformation.

Coincidentally in August, while trying to clarify my thoughts on the problem, I visited an exhibition in the diocesan museum of the cathedral of Pamplona, ​​Spain. The exhibition, called Occidens, using the various works in the museum's possession, aims to highlight the importance of Christian culture and values ​​for the building of Western civilization throughout history. At the end of the exhibition itinerary, a room proposed a final crossroads to the modern West: the one posed by the advance of relativism.

Fake News, I think, easily proliferates in the fertile soil of an increasingly relativized society. The disappearance of many cardinal points and the constant calls for “concreteness”, profit and success threaten to wash away the concepts of Good and Evil. 

Ethical relativism presents itself as a relative of tolerance. Tolerance, pluralism and freedom of speech are precious goals that our society has long strived for, but aren't morals and ethics of Christian and spiritual ancestry equally important?

In the ethical-moral field, relativism is in tune with the modern rejection of "oppressive" absolutes and with the crisis of objectivity. The power of opinion overwhelms everything, even denying evidence. Then "fixing the facts", knowingly lying to foment and ride emotion risks turning into a legitimate and desirable expedient.

Today, it is not only the truths of faith, spirituality and the presence of God in our lives that come under attack, but also proclaimed objective truths, such as the occurrence of an accident, the real amount of a sum to be paid, the pronouncement of a certain promise... 

The vast and varied environment of the network is the refuge in which one often finds refuge. As relativist as he is, in fact, what man can live alone, following only his own compass? Each of us, I think, feels the need for friends and confidants, for respect, approval, affection. Sharing and mutual help are the foundations of every family, of every society capable, in harmony, of pooling their talents to survive and prosper.

In the absence of a polar star, of a shared north, every personal opinion demands attention and can act as a guiding light. Whoever shouts loudest or presents an attractive “truth” can attract more listeners. Fake News is an evanescent smoke screen of plausible falsehoods designed to confuse, persuade and influence.

This misinformation most often produces and exploits strong emotions (such as anger and fear) using the means of scandal. The technology and tools of the internet lend themselves to the diffusion of new forms of propaganda. It has been noticed that the articles with more "likes" ("like", an indicator of approval) and views are "more real" and interesting for many readers. Users, often without ever meeting anywhere other than the Fake News site, tend to encourage each other and gather around the news they like most, ignoring the presence of the hidden guide, the fraudulent messenger. The listener enters the vice that he wanted to evade, built one brick at a time by "alternative facts": a trap that he falls for and ends up defending.

While we rightly blame those who abuse their role as leaders to lead the flock astray, let us remember that in this, as in other similar crises, the contested territory is the human soul. Many of life's problems overwhelm the capabilities of the individual: this is why we need to form a community, also in a Christian and spiritual sense. Let us work with the help of prayer to drive away falsehood from our hearts, starting with personal daily actions.