Of superstition, of irrationality, of dogma — embrace reason, embrace rationality. I found this image of a, IMO fantastic, high relief sculpture on a blog about the importance of having resources to support you on your awakening journey. All I thought when I saw the art was “freedom”. I think the artist captures the pure joy of finding your way free from [whatever] oppression you’ve been laboring under for however long. The piece is an informative read, too. Too many people stay in situations where they’re miserable, simply because they aren’t aware they have options. They are beaten down by the dogma of their surroundings, constantly harassed because they’re “different”, whether by skin color, or social standing, or sexual orientation, or religion (usually somehow related to religion regardless of the perceived difference). We must break the chains of ignorance.
I’ve blogged before on the need for education, not only for children but continuing education for adults. I had always thought people wanted and enjoyed learning new things, or at least being informed about events. How can we elect competent leaders if we’re not competent ourselves? Why has science and math fallen in respect in the last several years? You’re on a computer, connected to the internet, a bajillion data bits at your fingertips and you claim scientists are in cahoots with “big pharma” to spike vaccines to damage your health, or a secret cabal has plans for global domination?! Or that Satan is taking over the governments of the western world because your church can’t have indoor, crowded services? Gathering together in an enclosed space for a few hours of talking and singing is a SARs-CoV-2 expressway to mass infection; the government is trying to protect the citizenry. Yet you claim it to be the work of Satan, or a clever psyop… really?!! What kind of insanity is that? Hint — it’s the “persecuted christian” kind.
This public malaise is not new, public discourse has been declining for over a decade. With the rise of social media and the internet, anyone can put their opinion, informed or not, out for the world to see and react to. It’s been said that everyone is entitled to an opinion; opinions are like assho.. um.. noses — because everybody has one. What that outlook fails to take into account is that an opinion is a reasoned outlook, based on informed judgment of the facts and circumstances. You are not entitled to have anyone respect your opinion if you are shouting ignorant ramblings. You must make an effort and be able to form a well-reasoned opinion on a matter. Anyone can posit an unfounded assertion, a baseless conspiracy theory, a corrupted tale based on the thinnest of facts (or no facts at all). As long as there’s an audience, these kinds of people will continue to spout nonsense. Anyone can pass on mis- or deliberate dis-information if they’re careless or uninformed. A kinda sad study here. Let’s be informed especially on important matters of policy, and don’t give the agitators the audience they seek.
The access to information is as unfettered as ever it has been in history. That doesn’t mean everything you read or see is true.
The earth is not flat (buy audio) nor under a firmament, coronavirus is not a hoax, the sun does not orbit a 6-10 thousand year old earth, humans are animals. The earth and life on it was not “intelligently designed” and there’s a ton of evidence to show that. Think about it — what is the purpose of your appendix, or your coccyx — they are long discarded structures that homo sapiens no longer need. Have you given any thought to the giraffe’s laryngeal nerve? Birds are dinosaurs. The universe did not pop out of “nothing”; who knows what “nothing” is? We don’t have an example of “nothing” to compare or measure. I’ve heard no one but Christian apologists say this ‘something from nothing’ silliness; certainly no scientist.
Thinking, learning, evaluating, knowing — it’s the adult thing to do.
One of the solutions proposed, over and over, is censorship of hateful or misleading speech. Social platforms have been trying to prevent publishing or at least flag distasteful or disruptive speech (or posts). Student groups have demonstrated to prevent having a disruptive speaker appear. IMO, this only drives the uninformed and distasteful thoughts and people who hold them under ground. It does nothing to address or correct the “information” they’re spewing, oops I mean sharing. The more useful response is known as “counter-speech“. We can only overcome falsity with truth, so we must be willing to be informed by facts. I recently found another fact checker website you may want to try. Their (proprietary?) technology may allow them to be faster on recognizing propaganda when it’s posted. This is in addition to those mentioned on my blogspot blog on unbiased news, and the importance of continuing education. Speak out, or just be informed for yourself, facts matter.
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