MARCH 19 — A pox on Facebook and its ability to reveal how much Malaysians read and yet not understand.

Judging by the relentless stream of MH370-related news on my social media feeds, Malaysians need to learn that superpower that, in Christianity, is even called a spiritual gift: discernment.

You cannot only read one source of news, Malaysians. You cannot declare you read only one local news site and no other and declare all the rest purveyors of falsehoods.

This is how you consume media, especially pertaining to news: you read multiple sources, get the facts and then form your own opinion. You should never let any publication make your mind up for you.

Newspapers, news websites are all manned by people. People are all affected by bias. Bias colours the way we see the world and how we react to things. The truth may be neutral but it is difficult for people to remain neutral when confronted with things they do not agree with.

You cannot just read publications that you agree with. The truth does not confirm to your political leanings. While reporters are tasked to retrieve facts, it is up to us to figure out what is true and real, albeit within the limitations of our own prejudices.

But from what I see too many people are unable to discern fact from what they would like to be fact. Believing the US government hijacked the plane and hid it under some secret base won't make it true if it isn't.

In the same vein, while I am hoping for the best outcome I am also prepared for the worst. It does no one favours when spiritual gurus and the like declare the missing passengers alive and well when there is no way of knowing what has happened to them.

False hope is a terrible thing to create or encourage. Magical thinking has spread itself all over the Internet and again, I repeat, wishing good outcomes don't make them real.

So please, before you forward or share that link, understand what you are doing. Are you spreading truths, falsehoods or what you hope is true?

Hope is too powerful a thing to cheapen.

* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.