“Do we really know Wu?” Reliability of Information Introduction

By Conor Holland

Some say we live in the age of information. Others say, the age of disinformation. Those who believe the former argue with a connection to the internet and a few clicks of a button you can access a treasure trove of information, so vast our ancestors would be unable to imagine. This is true. The quantity of information is exponentially growing and shows no signs of easing. (Bawden & Robinson, 2008)

One must remember that information is not knowledge. Any Tom, Dick or Harry can manipulate the past with an anarchic hour or two spent on Wikipedia. It is this ease in disseminating falsehoods that has resulted in growing numbers claiming the age of disinformation is upon us.

Throughout history, many regimes and individuals have attempted to control the spread of information. When Guttenburg created his printing press, this ushered in a new age of information, since then it has been harder and harder to prevent the free spread of information. In times before this, it was a much more arduous task to disseminate information. One individual was dependent on many others to spread their information. As we delve into the accuracy of Wu’s legacy it is essential we consider the historical context where homogenous information was not widely accessible and instead varied throughout time and place.

When we analyse information, it is important to ask ourselves several questions;

• Who provided this information?
• Why was this information provided?
• Who gained from its dispersal?

These questions will appear in many forms throughout the analysis and conversation that takes place in the following series. The reliability of the information we know about Wu Zetian will be tested. Consider this, what we know about Wu Zetian has survived in the most improbable of circumstances. Given the length of time and variety of systems that this information passed through why did it survive? Why x piece of information and not y?

Information is malleable. It can be forged, changed and added to over time, intentionally or otherwise. The information surrounding Wu Zetian will be analysed taking these characteristics of information into account.