False information

There are times when I truly believe that the quantum leap in communications we have now is less helpful, even harmful. Case in point, the recent 7.2 magnitude earthquake in the Visayas, particularly Bohol and Cebu. As of today, the death toll has almost reached two hundred, with the search for the missing still continuing. Damage to property is at nine hundred million pesos, and rising. Irreplaceable structures such as the centuries old churches just add to the sadness of the event. And because of the magnitude of the earthquake, aftershocks still rock the area. These only jitter the already heightened senses of the people of the region, making them nervously react at every movement of the earth.

Then comes someone, whether a know-it-all or just some individual with a distorted sense of humor, sends text messages that an even stronger earthquake will hit the region soon, aside from a new volcano forming. Stuff that we only see in the movies. But because it came through text, it spread like well, text. And the people who are already fired up, practically allow themselves to get burned. They actually believe, and become even more anxious to the point of uselessness.

The text message became so viral that Phivolcs had to come out with an official statement on the matter. An even stronger earthquake was not possible on the same fault line because the earthquake was already strong enough for the plates to reposition themselves. That's why there are aftershocks, wherein the plates are continually settling into their new position. So it was unlikely that an even stronger quake would occur. As we have pointed out time and again, nobody can predict an earthquake. As for the volcano, that was even more preposterous. Hopefully the fears are allayed with the official statement.

In Medicine, there is a term called Cardiac Neurosis, where a patient, after suffering his first angina attack, panics every time something out of the ordinary happens to his heart. Whether it simply skips a beat, or heartburn, which is essentially a gastric reflux, he demands to be sent to the hospital. After so many trips, even those tasked to take care of him start to change their attitude. Because he has already experienced fear related to his heart, he becomes paranoid about it. Same thing with the people of Bohol and Cebu. They have experienced something terrifying, unpleasant, even deadly. So the thought of it repeating, or even worse, is already etched into their psyche. And the text message just triggered all of that.

There really should be a way of tracing where these poison texts originate, and punish the ones behind them. If one is not an expert on something, then he should not give his opinions on the matter, especially through something unregulated such as text. This is where our present capabilities in communication do not help. False information travels just as fast as official ones, and there is no way to filter these before the damage is done. We need to listen to official pronouncements, from the persons considered experts in their fields, and not to some words on a cellphone.

Don't you just hate the people who propagate these?