We certainly live in a post-truth age. This term, post-truth, apparently came to the fore during Brexit and Trump, presumably describing how these two episodes succeeded, via “post” truth. We can basically see that the West – and most significantly, the US – is divided in two camps that clearly believe the other is living in a world of post-truth. Call these lies.
Russia gate, Ukraine, impeachment, Biden laptop computers, Covid, Clinton Foundation, voting machines, 4 AM vanloads of ballots. This is just the last four years. We each have a truth about each one of these; we cannot all be right.
Certain episodes are investigated, others are not. Why?
Paul VanderKlay recently did a video on community building. He opened with a slide, asking:
Was the US election clean?
Is the US and UK getting their COVID response right?
How should we regard climate change?
How can we know?
I responded:
Simple: Cui Bono. Who benefits? Centralized power and authority or decentralized power and authority? Those in power want more power; those in control want more control. This is one way to know the truth on each of these subjects.
Those who want more power and control aren’t after more power and control for my benefit or the benefit of anyone listening to these videos or commenting here.
Political leaders and business leaders prefer centralized power. Truth is irrelevant in this pursuit. If lies are necessary in this pursuit, they will lie. We see the marriage of these two in this cause.
But lies are always necessary in this pursuit of centralizing power. Insufficient numbers will allow increased authoritarianism without being fed lies.
Neither the media nor the Department of Justice are acting in their appropriate role – pursuing truth in pursuit of justice.
When the Soviet Union collapsed, it did so relatively peacefully. Perhaps most people in the Soviet Union knew that they were being fed lies, hence, no conflict.
I don’t think the West will be as fortunate. Each side is convinced the other is lying. Neither is able to let go of this.
No truth, no justice, no peace.
You're absolutely correct again.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that's been bothering me a lot lately, since Seth Rich and Russiagate really, is: where does the rubber meet the road as far as reality detachment is concerned? When do the useful idiots start to get some powerful negative feedback from believing things that are patently false? And when do TPTB's plans run into a brick wall for being completely at odds with human nature?
ReplyDeleteIt's not a straightforward process; people can evidently still function at some level even as their reality detachment grows. It took the Soviet Union 80 years for the disconnect to become too much to bear, and they had a relatively functional West against which they could compare. How long could the West's own long night last?
I'm increasingly feeling the need for some sort of neo-monastic hoarding of knowledge. At this point, salvaging wht's left seems like a better investment than a futile effort trying to hold the dam.
"Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one."--Charles MacKay
DeleteTo answer your questions, we cannot predict any specific time when these things will happen. We can pinpoint the approximate time when the Covid insanity erupted, but we have no way of knowing when or how we will emerge from it. All of the items you listed (and many more) will only become evident when enough people regain their senses, as MacKay said, slowly and one by one. Eventually, the accumulated weight will tip the scale, but all we can do is keep adding more the best way we know how.
I agree that it is pointless to try to save the system. The dam has burst, the flood is sweeping everything in it's path, and all we can do at the moment is get out of its way as much as reasonably possible, with the attitude that when its over, we will be able to rebuild according to the knowledge and wisdom we have stored up.
Some of us will live through it. Some will not. That is also something we cannot know. All we can do is take care of ourselves and have hope for the future.
No Truth? We could always use a bit of self-reflection to turn toward the Truth (that’s always there). This introduction to “Radical Orthodoxy” might help uncover the fundamental perspective inherent to all people and relationships. What one does next is entirely up to them - but there is always a choice to live turned toward the Truth. Where do you spend your mind, time, and money?
ReplyDeleteThe last 7 minutes or so in particular addresses “our” (I don’t believe in social contract so have a hard time using that word) “current situation." May be interesting to people with a “libertarian” perspective.
RADICAL ORTHODOXY SIMON OLIVER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sY-m9AuPvA
I disagree that this whole election fiasco isn't going away. Once Trump is out of the picture, things will settle down as Trump supporters will have to get back to their jobs or have to find new lower paying jobs. Then we will get to experience the rule of the Neo-Cons and Old Line Democrats with what is left of the Republicans whose new job will be to keep the Bernie Bunch in line.
ReplyDelete"When the Soviet Union collapsed, it did so relatively peacefully. Perhaps most people in the Soviet Union knew that they were being fed lies, hence, no conflict."
ReplyDeleteAnyone in the United States who doesn't recognize that they are being lied to is an absolute moron.
It's time for the United States to come apart like the USSR did. When even the Philadelphia Inquirer recognizes the truth, you know it's only a matter of time: "America Is Over; Let's Just Split Into Different Countries" at https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/america-divided-split-different-nations-20200918.html