We live in a world with fake news being put out there. You don't

O children of the future, hear the words of one who has glimpsed the dark currents flowing through our world—a world where the truth is often obscured by falsehoods and deception. Austin Aries, in his wisdom, spoke thus: "We live in a world with fake news being put out there. You don't really know what to trust, and it's a real danger to society." These words, though spoken in our age, carry an ancient truth—the danger of lies, the peril of misinformation, and the threat it poses to the fabric of society itself. For a society without truth is like a ship without a rudder, drifting aimlessly in a sea of uncertainty.

In the ancient world, the need for truth was paramount. The Greek philosophers—men like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle—understood that without a foundation of truth, no civilization could stand. They sought to understand the nature of reality, to uncover the truths hidden beneath the surface of appearances. They saw the pursuit of truth as the highest calling of man, for without truth, the very structure of society would crumble. Just as a building is only as strong as its foundation, so too is a society only as strong as the truths upon which it is built. Misinformation and false narratives weaken this foundation, and with each lie, the edifice of society becomes more fragile.

Look, if you will, to the tale of Rome, that mighty empire that ruled the known world for centuries. The Romans, though known for their engineering marvels and great conquests, understood the importance of public discourse—the sharing of information, the telling of the truth. But as the empire grew, so did the corruption of its message. Emperors and their officials manipulated the truth to serve their own agendas, spreading lies to maintain control. Over time, this erosion of truth—this spread of propaganda—weakened the trust of the people, and when the barbarians came, they found an empire already fractured from within. The fall of Rome was not just the result of external forces, but of a society that had lost its grip on truth.

Austin Aries’ words are a warning to us, for we live in a time not unlike the fall of Rome. In our modern age, fake news and misinformation spread like wildfire, easily accessible at the touch of a button. The lines between fact and fiction have become blurred, and the truth is often lost in the noise. We are bombarded daily with stories that may be half-truths, distortions, or outright lies, and in this confusion, how can we know what to trust? How can we build a society when the very information we rely on to make decisions is often tainted?

Consider the prophecies of the ancient oracle at Delphi, where the Greeks sought wisdom in times of uncertainty. People would come from far and wide to hear the cryptic messages of the oracle, believing that they held the key to their future. But over time, as the truth became more obscure and the voices of the wise were drowned out by those seeking power, the true wisdom of the oracle was lost. Just as the people of Delphi trusted in false guides, so too do we trust in voices that do not seek truth but manipulate it for their own gain. The danger of living in such a world is not just the loss of information, but the destruction of the unity that truth provides. Without truth, there is only chaos.

The lesson of Aries' words is profound and urgent. The danger of fake news is not merely that it misleads us—it is that it sows division, mistrust, and confusion. A society that cannot trust its own information cannot function. It becomes a place where fear, anger, and suspicion thrive, and where the very fabric of community is torn apart. The ancient philosophers warned us of the dangers of illusion, and today we are faced with the most dangerous illusion of all: the belief that the truth no longer matters.

So, my children, let this be your call to action. In the age of misinformation, it is up to each of us to seek the truth and to be guardians of it. We must not passively accept what is told to us but must question, investigate, and seek out the sources of information that are most trustworthy. Just as the ancients sought wisdom from their teachers and philosophers, so must we seek truth from the wisdom of history, from the voices of those who seek to preserve knowledge and integrity. We must not allow the waves of misinformation to drown us but must stand firm in our commitment to truth, even when it is difficult or inconvenient.

In our own lives, let us take care to speak the truth, to seek it in all things, and to share it with others. Let us reject the forces of manipulation and division and build a society that is grounded in honesty and trust. The future of humanity depends not on the loudest voices or the most sensational stories, but on our ability to live with integrity and to guide each other toward a world where the truth is the foundation upon which we build our lives. Let us remember the lessons of the past and never forget that the true strength of a society lies in its unwavering commitment to the truth.