Distinguishing Between the Real and the Unreal

That old nursery tale about the person who kept calling wolf, wolf when there was none, has some bearing on this weird situation because, inevitably, that earlier cry ‘wolf’ was disregarded by everyone who realized that there was no wolf. Alas! Whilst it is just my view, I much doubt that the Guinness Book of Records will accept President Trump’s claim that ‘fake news’; was invented recently in the U.S. or indeed that its appearance coincided with the first mass produced newssheets and tracts.

The probability must surely be that a great many actors, including governments, have long been adept at milking the fake news game for all it was worth. The ancient Greeks were on the ball in respect of almost everything so it maybe that they should be given the credit. On the other hand, the Romans quickly made good what the Greeks may have overlooked.