Silvy: 4 things you should/shouldn't be skeptical about
I am, by nature, a skeptical person.
It's helpful in my day-to-day life. Being skeptical, as a journalist, has tremendous value to the community.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, maybe I get a press release from the city of Fort Collins saying it will be spraying for puppies (instead of mosquitos). Seems legit.
But then my skepticism comes into play, and I write a story that saves the lives of thousands of adorable puppies. My journalism dreams: Realized!
Even in my personal life, a good dose of skepticism is a lifesaver. I mean, I literally won't eat a Life Saver off the ground. Sorry. I'm skeptical. Besides, the one I saw outside King Soopers the other day wasn't my favorite flavor anyway.
I'm also a fan of the Dallas Cowboys, a semi-pro football team actually based in Arlington, Texas. My skepticism is rewarded at the end of each season when I don't throw my television through a window when they miss the playoffs. My skepticism has allowed me to expect the worst.
But not all skepticism is created equal. Here's a short, totally-not-all-encompassing-list of things we should be skeptical about, and things we maybe shouldn't be skeptical about. I call it, "Good skepticism vs. Bad skepticism."
GOOD SKEPTICISM
Found a piece of candy in a hotel room…
Not going to eat it. Nope. And definitely not going to let my child eat it.
Soccer player looks to be injured – like, on his death bed…
He'll be sprinting around in about 30 seconds. Wait for it, OK! He's never felt better.
Lebron James…
Be very skeptical…always.
CSU wants to spend millions on a new stadium…
Whether you're for or against, surely nobody gave this a rubber stamp in their mind without an ounce of thought. I mean, surely not. Right?
BAD SKEPTICISM
Don't help out fellow motorists by flashing your lights at night…
Perhaps you've seen this on Facebook or via an email from your crazy uncle. But this is the way gangs get you. If you flash your lights at an oncoming car that doesn't have its lights on, you will die. Probably "Written by a cop." Come. On.
The World Cup is a distraction from real, pressing issues…
During a Thursday Fox News show, guest Keith Ablow (the network's psychiatrist), called the World Cup a convenient distraction from current, more important issues. Sure, there are more important issues. But what could me important than Dr. Ablow checking himself into a psychiatric ward?
Don't pick up water bottles, they'll explode and kill you…
Another scary story from the internet. But just because this may have happened, doesn't mean we should never pick up litter. Be careful, I guess. But please don't think you're going to die any time you touch something.
Journalists are not to be trusted
Come on, guys. We're supposed to be friends here.
Tyler Silvy covers high school sports for The Coloradoan. Reach him at TylerSilvy@coloradoan.com. Connect with him at Facebook.com/TylerSilvy or @TylerSilvy on Twitter.