Fear tactics, over simplifications,
emotional appeals, bias catering, maneuvering, outright lies, half truths, and
the like seem to take place in national political debate over factual
information and reasonable debate. Why is that?
In talking about environmental
issues, many politicians absolutely ignore the 97% of scientists conclusions on
global warming and refer to a few whacko’s like those who argued the earth was
flat. Are they that stupid or do they think we are that stupid?
Why on earth are Republicans and
Democrats against taxing millionaires and billionaires and having a more
progressive and fair tax system. Supply side economics has been the norm for 35
years and it hasn’t worked; the quality of life for most Americans continues to
decrease.
Why are folk so willing to blame poor
folk for our problems and let rich folk get away with bilking the public? Is
the majority really against safety nets the government provides for those who
do not do well in our society?
Why are we set hateful and fearful of
illegal aliens while we use them to our advantage?
Why does anyone listen to Rush
Limbaugh, Glen Beck Ann Coulter, Don Imus, Fox News, Howard Sterns and the
like? Hate mongering should not be a national sport.
I could go on and on but what’s the
point?
It is hard enough to dig out the
correct and full information on subjects without folk bringing the personal
agendas, greed agendas, and ideological views to bear on major insures.
Because the ugly fact is that emotion usually trumps reason, and a lie runs halfway around the world before the truth can even get its boots on. Misinformation travels faster because it is usually simpler, and it quickly finds an emotional and gullible audience to give it legs!
ReplyDeleteAlso there is a growing wave of anti-intellectualism in this country in the last decade or so. Historically, this is usually one of the early-warning signs that a population is ripe to be subdued by a despotic regime or party. If you can get people suspicious of intellectuals, education, and science, they learn to question less, and you can then work them into a frenzy and convince them to believe just about any nonsense you're ready to feed them.
If you can get people to believe absurdities, then you can get them to commit atrocities.
And we pick on the poor because it's easier: the poor don't talk back when you blame them. They have no political voice. They don't have high paid lobbyists or radio talk shows.
ReplyDelete