Friday, July 10, 2009

Worth in Critical Thinking ?

Has anyone else sensed what the news is selling, is fear and divisiveness ? It strikes me as a way to deflect attention from the fraud committed against we, the people. First, I noticed, how the 'finger' was being pointed at 'people' who weren't living within their means ie. the burst mortgage and credit bubble. Now, correct me if I'm wrong but weren't the banks, at one time, pretty adept at assuring a mortgage app, if approved, could be repaid, under the applying persons credit history, outstanding loans and wage ? What ? The banks suddenly got stupid or careless ? I doubt it. With the reading, I've done, it looks like the most recent financial fiasco started with the Federal Reserve allowing hidden information related to credit default swaps and fraud being given the lack of light to proliferate in, until someone stopped playing the game and said, "Wait a minute. Something doesn't seem right here, I don't want to play anymore." Then the whole 'scam' collapsed. By the way, it was the big banks participating in this and we see no investigation nor anyone being held responsible for it. Indeed what we see is government bailing out the biggest 'defrauders' and prosecution of the likes of Madoff (who in the larger scheme of things is a little guy compared to the greater fraud against 'we the people').

Next began the media fingers being pointed at what to be afraid of, whether a new flu, pandemic of one sort or another, or a different race of people or religious belief. Now, it's such things as: it's easy for 'someone' to figure out your social security number, encrypted info exchange on the internet has a minute piece of time, wherein 'someone' can access it, or 'oops, a cyber attack on our govt websites attributed to China or North Korea. Oh, BUT, we are lauded as Americans that we don't riot like we see in other countries about anything related to the worldwide financial crisis. So, I have to wonder how stupid we, the people, are to buy any of this. Are we being deliberately anesthetized so we stay 'civilized' while our society marches toward poverty ?

I remember a personal experience I had some 20 yrs ago. I was at happy hour with friends. Since I don't drink alcohol, I was at full capacity to notice the shenanigans of one of my acquaintances. (I have nothing against alcohol; I just can't handle it ie. I get very happy and start hugging everyone, along with getting very silly. Then I feel like I've been run over by a Mack truck for 3 days after. Not worth it and I don't need a high to enjoy life so I pass.) Ok, back to what happened. This was a very small, bar and snack mixing place for lawyers, investment bankers etc. It was long and narrow with the bar going nearly the whole way down one side and a few booths on the other side and a few tables at the front, along the window. So I was sitting on one of the bar stools about 3/4 of the way toward the back of the bldg. The place was wall to wall people with all seats occupied and the rest in 'standing room only' space. We'll call the fellow I was observing "John". So I notice John at the front end of the bar talking with a few people for awhile. Then he moves onto a few other people and talks with them for awhile until he eventually gets to the crew I'm with. Here is the 'good' part. He moved on AFTER he had created a controversy amongst each group and left them to argue it out, with a self satisfied grin. When he attempted to 'get me and my crew' started along the same path, he was confronted and initially, played dumb. When he realized he'd been found out, he smiled and said it was a way he'd found to entertain himself because most people are susceptible to their 'passions', at the expense of greater principles. That was a huge lesson for me and I'll be ever grateful for it. He was a top notch trial lawyer, by the way.

Are we the people being manipulated, distracted and dishonored ? Are our passions being used against us ? Is it possible to have and exercise ones' passions and still be capable of critical thinking ? What do you think ? It is very easy to get 'pulled in' and 'turned on' by a passion, afterall. It shouldn't be so easy to 'whip us up' but I'm afraid, when it's a 'hot button', the potential is always there. Anyone for a crowd 'wave' ? I'm not, but thanks for the invitation !

1 comment:

  1. Kiki
    I was hoping that I was wrong and wanted to keep positive about people in general, but the recent death of one pop star and the morons who wrote him letters to place on his doorstep all the while balling their eyes out as if he was one of their own and then the balls the family had to have that public memorial, that convinced me, Yes, we are so frigging stupid that a die off might just be natures way of weening off the weak and idiotic. So easily distracted as well.

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