by Fat Lady Singing » Mon Feb 27, 2006 2:55 am
Hi--is it too late to jump in here? I know I don't have many board posts to my name, but I've posted a few times on the blog and in 2004-early 2005 I racked up hundreds, I think, over at DU, where I became acquainted with the writing of our host. I feel in this context, it's important for readers to know a little bit of my background.<br><br>Emotions are running high, I see. We're all skeptical about what we read after everything we've learned through channels such as RI. Many of us are downright paranoid--in a good way, I think.<br><br>But once you realize that "everything you know is wrong" (as the first big Disinformation book reminded us), you can flounder, as I have, hoping to find something you can grasp as Truth. In fact, it's probably fair to say we're all our own kind of truth seekers, here (except for those "they" folks, whoever "they" might be, engaged in some sort of infowar against "us", whoever "us" might be).<br><br>In that sense, and in only that sense, I can understand why some people might be drawn to the UK Truth Seeker or Rense sites (or others like them). I explored Rense for quite some time myself. I do believe there is some good information to be found there. Some interesting stuff can be found on Alex Jones' various sites, too. It's absolutely vital to question just about any official story.<br><br>I can see how it might happen. You question, find out how thick the layers of lies are, and you become the Princess feeling for that tiny little Pea. Eventually, perhaps, it doesn't even seem unreasonable to question the big horrible historic events that we--no, wait, make that "the sheeple", right?--all accept as Truth. <br><br>Question, yes--that's all well and good. Here's the problem, though: not everyone can figure out what constitutes a good argument or sound evidence. Not everyone is able to discern when a line of thought is built upon a house of cards or a solid foundation of fact.<br><br>It would be really, really nice if people with repugnant ideas based on shoddy research and thinly disguised racist agendas could publish their awful stuff and everyone who read it could see it for the crap it is. This way, everyone's right to freedom of the press, speech, etc., would remain intact yet the author wouldn't be lauded or the ideas used as a springboard for a murderous or hateful movement.<br><br>[Aside: who determines what is "repugnant," "shoddy," or even "racist"? Me? You? "Them"? See, once you get a-goin', there's no stoppin'!]<br><br>But because of our inadquate educational system and the anesthesia of our press, etc., our critical thinking skills just don't help us with the task of discernment. Most people worry about stuff like putting food on the table or finding love or tending to children. They put so much effort into these tasks that they need to partake in mindless entertainment during their spare time, to help them bear the weight of daily living.<br><br>If they have enough time and energy left over to care to think about the big issues that confront us, can we count upon them to read a variety of viewpoints on the issues? Can we count upon them to gather diligently, then weigh carefully the evidence? And if we can't, then what do we do so that horrible things like the Holocaust don't happen again? Isn't there something about being doomed to repeat...and history being written by some Victor dude?<br><br>My brain hurts! Can I stop thinking now?<br><br> <p></p><i></i>