Fake news has been replaced by ‘chaos news’

Fake news is yesterday’s news, said a friend. Gone are the days when people believed everything they read on the internet. The fake news narrative has been repeatedly and comprehensively exposed for what it is, thanks to people like Donald Trump.

Obviously, the fake news narrative will probably remain a wonderful instrument for politicians, added my philosopher friend. After all, sometimes it’s just easier to believe that something is fake, rather than admitting it’s an uncomfortable truth.

But, continued the philosopher, the evolutionary process never stops. The newest trend to hit social media is “chaos news”.

Yes, he said, while the fake news pandemic has led the not-so-average Joe Blogs to question almost every written word, chaos news spurs him into action.

As an example, he cited the load shedding “news” circulated on almost every imaginable platform over the weekend.

Imagine Frikkie and Susan from Pretoria, continued the philosopher. They invite some friends over for a braai and to watch the rugby. All hell breaks loose when the first “chaos news flash” about imminent load shedding hits their phones.

Frikkie is ordered to buy fuel for the generator, so off he goes. On the way to the garage Susan tells him the gas bottle is also empty, and he must get charcoal as well for the Weber, because how else will she be able to keep the paptert warm if the power is off.

All the guests arrive before Frikkie is back, because he had to go to three different filling stations before he found one with gas in stock. The Boks have already scored a try by the time Frikkie gets a cold one for himself, so he’s not a happy chappy.

Susan is a nervous wreck, expecting the power to go off any second. Please, not with the Boks on the attack, she murmurs.

She urges Frikkie to couple the gas bottle to the camp stove, just in case. Her murmur is answered and the rest of the evening transpires without incident.

Sunday morning the next news flash: Everything is under control. Load shedding has been averted. Frikkie and Susan celebrate their close call.

Fake news? No, chaos news.

Danie Toerien.

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