The post went viral and was shared thousands of times, but it was fake. The picture, which looks like a personal snapshot was actually taken by a professional photographer. The words were not written by Meryl Streep (although she did say something similar in an interview). In fact, the page isn't even hers, but rather a fan page.
But we believed it. Because, well, it was believable. The source appeared credible, the picture was a "natural" down-to-earth shot. It seemed plausible.
But in real life, we operate differently. We are more apt to receive quotes like the one above and self-help books than we are to receive the same advice from friends. When you are receiving advice from a friend, ask yourself:
- What is my history with this person? Is there jealousy, past misunderstandings, deceit...or has this person consistently had my best interest at heart?
- What is their intent?
- If this message was coming from my favorite person in the world, would I receive it differently?
This story is a great reminder to consider the source.
No comments:
Post a Comment