Wow . . . one reading isn't enough to fully digest these deelpy researched, wide-ranging reflections, so this is bookmarked for a revist. Pity it's not teasing the book-length treatment you envisioned (or should I say not yet?)
Insightful dot-connecting shows how police, priests, CEOs, athletes, doctors and essentially all of us are linked by mendacity and sociopathy, if we let ourselves be. And talk about sweep -- Walter Mears would smile pridefully at seeing one of his mentees gracefully stitch together political revolutions of the 18th and 19th centuries with this week's cautionary example of the news ecosystem's vulnerability to manipulation.
You certainly bolt from the Substack gate with a swift pace of two posts in two days. Impressive start, "Seabiscuit."
Bleak outlook. Thought-provoking. Thank you. I’m not sure I “get” how the internet and its info silos explain the present delusional thinking, partisanship and acrimony. These cognitive biases have been with the species for as long as we have had an historical record, no? And we had narrow-casting silos of info since the advent of 300 cable TV stations and even more radio stations, no? Gingrich was easily as polarizing a figure as McConnell. It was paternalistic and monopolistic to have a few stations and newspapers tell us what is happening (the facts) and how we, as a nation, should think about those facts (the opinions). With more sources of facts and opinions on the internet, and the manipulation of information ideological gain the internet allows (as you highlight) the consumer now, more than ever, has to be discerning. As a society, we have to decide whether we value critical thinking enough to teach it in the schools, and to require it of our politicians. The most dangerous lies and misinformation still come from our political leaders who cynically exploit the uncritical thinking of the electorate (spending so much time and effort to make a living wage voters become dependent on shorthand info, even slogans). How did the electorate become so indiscriminating? I think they always were (but, as you point out, in the past we had gatekeepers of facts and opinions that kept things reasonably sensible). The internet has, as you note, made it worse, but ultimately is just another communication tool highlighting how much our education system has failed to fulfill one of its most important jobs - teaching critical thinking. I don’t blame the teachers, though. I blame a society that worships celebrity, ostentatious wealth and attention-getting over a healthy society and culture, paying hundreds of millions for a baseball player while our teachers struggle to garner even a living wage. We, America, want this BS and we’re going to get it (especially from the MAGA Right who has so benefited from it) until it gets so bad we wake the F up.
True — but one thing we’ve learned is that an outrageous Ike that confirms the biases of a large chunk of the public doesn’t need volume yo go viral. We are wired to buy and share lies
You’re too kind, Alan. Thanks for the encouragement! I won’t be keeping this pace up but I imagine hitting my Atlantic-era stride — two or three posts a week, and only when I think I have something unique to say.
I feel like my place in this is to teach media literacy so that’s where I’m starting in my classroom. And I think that’s what we can do now, is try to facilitate growth and understanding in our communities. And perhaps this one.
"The internet and its assorted social applications delivered unprecedented power to almost every living person on earth." But not equally, of course. Power on social media stems largely from volume; from who can spend the most to spread their version most widely.
We met many years ago in Iowa and I have long admired your work. Today’s column was hands down the best analysis of the current state of the world as I’ve read. Thank you for synthesizing so many of my wildly aberrant thoughts.
Ron, appreciated your essay. Your conversation with Steve Schmidt, specifically your take on why Trump won Obama voters - & abandoned Democrats - spurred me to this conclusion: we need a consolidation & coalition of all followers of anti Trump/fascism to form a new political party; some viable form of a POSITIVE change “alternative” to MAGA, as you so eloquently posited.
But we need a political/legally savvy leader to enumerate our numbers - & then leash us to a truth embued sociopolitical force.
Colleen! So great to connect with you again. I’m glad the piece resonated. More to come!
Profound statement: "How do we make people want to know the difference – to even care that they’re genetically addicted to bullshit?"
Wow . . . one reading isn't enough to fully digest these deelpy researched, wide-ranging reflections, so this is bookmarked for a revist. Pity it's not teasing the book-length treatment you envisioned (or should I say not yet?)
Insightful dot-connecting shows how police, priests, CEOs, athletes, doctors and essentially all of us are linked by mendacity and sociopathy, if we let ourselves be. And talk about sweep -- Walter Mears would smile pridefully at seeing one of his mentees gracefully stitch together political revolutions of the 18th and 19th centuries with this week's cautionary example of the news ecosystem's vulnerability to manipulation.
You certainly bolt from the Substack gate with a swift pace of two posts in two days. Impressive start, "Seabiscuit."
Frequent user of the term “rubes and lemmings” in reference to Trumpler voters.
I did believe they followed one another over proverbial cliff. Haha…! Great little story and new perspective.
Bleak outlook. Thought-provoking. Thank you. I’m not sure I “get” how the internet and its info silos explain the present delusional thinking, partisanship and acrimony. These cognitive biases have been with the species for as long as we have had an historical record, no? And we had narrow-casting silos of info since the advent of 300 cable TV stations and even more radio stations, no? Gingrich was easily as polarizing a figure as McConnell. It was paternalistic and monopolistic to have a few stations and newspapers tell us what is happening (the facts) and how we, as a nation, should think about those facts (the opinions). With more sources of facts and opinions on the internet, and the manipulation of information ideological gain the internet allows (as you highlight) the consumer now, more than ever, has to be discerning. As a society, we have to decide whether we value critical thinking enough to teach it in the schools, and to require it of our politicians. The most dangerous lies and misinformation still come from our political leaders who cynically exploit the uncritical thinking of the electorate (spending so much time and effort to make a living wage voters become dependent on shorthand info, even slogans). How did the electorate become so indiscriminating? I think they always were (but, as you point out, in the past we had gatekeepers of facts and opinions that kept things reasonably sensible). The internet has, as you note, made it worse, but ultimately is just another communication tool highlighting how much our education system has failed to fulfill one of its most important jobs - teaching critical thinking. I don’t blame the teachers, though. I blame a society that worships celebrity, ostentatious wealth and attention-getting over a healthy society and culture, paying hundreds of millions for a baseball player while our teachers struggle to garner even a living wage. We, America, want this BS and we’re going to get it (especially from the MAGA Right who has so benefited from it) until it gets so bad we wake the F up.
A dismaying but valuable sidebar to today's NYT coverage of Trump's sanitizing of Jan. 6
Thank you!
True — but one thing we’ve learned is that an outrageous Ike that confirms the biases of a large chunk of the public doesn’t need volume yo go viral. We are wired to buy and share lies
Thanks, Kelly
You’re too kind, Alan. Thanks for the encouragement! I won’t be keeping this pace up but I imagine hitting my Atlantic-era stride — two or three posts a week, and only when I think I have something unique to say.
It’s so true. We have so much advanced technology and information to do good with, and this is where we are….thanks for sharing this here.
I'd love to come up with some solutions.
I feel like my place in this is to teach media literacy so that’s where I’m starting in my classroom. And I think that’s what we can do now, is try to facilitate growth and understanding in our communities. And perhaps this one.
Great piece - thanks.
"The internet and its assorted social applications delivered unprecedented power to almost every living person on earth." But not equally, of course. Power on social media stems largely from volume; from who can spend the most to spread their version most widely.
Ron
We met many years ago in Iowa and I have long admired your work. Today’s column was hands down the best analysis of the current state of the world as I’ve read. Thank you for synthesizing so many of my wildly aberrant thoughts.
Hope you are well.
Ron, appreciated your essay. Your conversation with Steve Schmidt, specifically your take on why Trump won Obama voters - & abandoned Democrats - spurred me to this conclusion: we need a consolidation & coalition of all followers of anti Trump/fascism to form a new political party; some viable form of a POSITIVE change “alternative” to MAGA, as you so eloquently posited.
But we need a political/legally savvy leader to enumerate our numbers - & then leash us to a truth embued sociopolitical force.
Know any candidates?
Nice opening post!
thanks, Mike!
You’ve been dwelling on this for a long time.