“Healthy skepticism is the basis of all accurate observation.” (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
John Brubaker, the author of best-selling books such as “Stadium Status” and “Seeds of Success” recently brought something to my attention. I like to think that I am a fairly educated person and have a good grasp on reality but he pointed out that I have believed a lie for many years.
Wait, what?!?
You see, because of Looney Tunes and TV, I just assumed that the Roadrunner was really fast. Like, one of the fastest things on earth type fast. TV taught that to me from a young age and why would I doubt it? I mean, I eat spinach and I became strong just like Popeye showed me that I could be.
Anyway, my man Coach Bru pointed out that not only is the roadrunner not the fastest bird (that’s the ostrich, by the way), but it isn’t even as fast as a coyote. What the what?!? That’s right. In fact a coyote can run up to 43 miles per hour, which is twice the speed of a road runner. The coyote is the tenth fastest land animal in the world.
Why does this silly little epiphany matter? Because we tend to jump to conclusions, assume, or blindly trust TV, social media, or the rumor mill way too easily nowadays. Time and time again, we get triggered and all worked up about a report we hear or a headline we read without knowing all the facts. We forget that some in the media, as well as individuals are trying to sell ads, get clicks, or find their 15 minutes of fame.
It seems that people are trying to be first instead of right. I am not advocating cynicism, just a healthy dose of wisdom and discernment. So, the next time that you hear an initial report in the news or read something on your social media timeline, remember the road runner and fight the urge to jump to conclusions.