It's a little early to commemorate the eleventh month, eleventh day, eleventh hour but any silence after a final furious cannonade is no less welcome. Unlike the bombardment that signaled the end of World War One, today's random shots and the floating wisp of gun smoke signal maneuvers for the coming 2012 battle.
No sooner had the polls closed on this year's viscous election campaign than the victors fired their first shots in search of glorious greater victories. The minority party victors claim they now have a mandate to rewrite history taking the country back to a fundamentalist ideal, continue the war to victory, cut taxes, drive out immigrants and abandon the Bill of Rights.
What the victors chose to ignore is that neither the minority nor the majority party have enough votes to elect their candidates. Even within the parties is there no consensus for radical platforms. While their extremists are the loudest and have capture the parties' agendas much of their membership is more reasoned. The real power however, lies with the largest body of the electorate, independents that are quite and still free of partisan demands of party loyalty.
It was the independents that carried the bi-election. They didn't vote radical change rather they voted for a hoped for better and more secure future. When campaign cannons fire salvos of hate and fear the independents drag their feet at blind trust. Their vote was for change, but changes that improved their conditions. Improvements that have been to long in arriving, “lets give the other guys a shot.”
A shot is not a mandate, it is an opportunity. If the victors become hung up on the barbwire of radical ideology they will face disenchanted and hostile independents in another two years.
The two party system has been institutionalized in American elections, but it is not written in stone or the constitution. What has happen is that the two parties cooperated on one issue, legislation and procedures that make it virtually impossible for any third party to succeed at the polls.
What the silent independent majority must do is fire shots across the bow of both parties. The independents have the power to demand good candidates that will serve the people not radical party platforms. Candidates committed to oppose corruption and vested interests and serve the people. The independents must exercise their power before the parties lock in on candidates and platforms not in the interest of the whole country.
The independent must find spokesmen of reason and compromise in the interest of the country. Care must taken in choice of leadership for charismatic leaders are often borderline dictators in search of power.
The independents fired a broadside in this election. It is a step forward but not enough to just vote incumbents out of office. Independents must also insure that the applicant pool contains the very best candidates for future election. The founding fathers never envisioned career politicians; rather wider participation by qualified citizens. They knew that government was too important to trust to politicians.
Independent must bombard candidates and elected officials with the third way of reasoned government.
If the parties continue to fail, then independents must fire a their big gun barrage each election voting the incumbents out of office until they recognize the peoples interests.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
Scorched earth politics 102520
October is a frightening month for most Americans. Not only is it the month of pagan Halloween rituals, but the streets run red with the more horrifying political blitz leading up to November elections.
Mythology holds that The United States was established as a democracy and continues to serve as the leading democratic model to the world. In the era of instant communications however, the world is watching the horrific spectacle of democratic scorched earth politics in a land of hypocrisy.
Contrary to popular opinion dirty politics are not an American invention. Probably the first cavemen resorted to a club to the back of the head in pursuit tribal leadership. Americans have however, institutionalized “whatever it takes” politics with university courses in campaigning and as a leading export that follows the American sword. Even the founding fathers resorted to “spin” and dirty politics with pamphleteers. The pamphlets of the 18th century had limited circulation but great influence, being directed to an oligarchy since most people couldn’t vote.
Democracy is the true expression of the people, all the people the key being an informed public. The key to current political campaigning, however, is to prevent that same public from ever becoming informed.
The 18th century pamphleteers would envy today's campaigners' access to TV, Internet, face book, twitter, etc. Information overload without accountability, images and words fly absence of context, truth or reason. Negative campaigning has become the norm. Outrageous charge and counter charge alienate the increasingly disinformed public who votes against candidates rather than for a better choice. Campaigns are so viscous that there is no post election healing. Radical right and left seize the agenda, victimizing the public and its will to choose between bad, badder and baddest candidates.
In one respect democracy does live through the available electronic media. Anyone can jump into a ring from his or her living rooms with ever-wilder rhetoric. Everyone now gets into the act with debates between candidates for dogcatcher campaign in kinder gardens, the cutest puppy wins. Ridiculous, maybe but the democratic process is fracture and increasingly fragmented by rhetorical demonization. Demonized is every idea and moral that differs from that of the power seekers. A political corruption that legitimizes book burnings, racism, criminal activity and disenfranchises the electorate. An alienation that legitimizes radicals who point to a one-vote victory as a mandate to continue the erosion of freedoms.
Increasingly the electorate sees the process as corrupt, feel frustrated and deceived. The democratic process is no longer government of the majority but government of competing minorities responding only to increasing extremism. The moderate majority is left without voice but must pay the bill. “Taxation without representation,” familiar?
A government of the minority is a government of elected evil with corruption becoming endemic. Secrecy, deception and cover-up are to tools of the corrupt. Devoid of ethics and integrity, abuse of power becomes the political norm and the rights of man become a historical footnote. Elected evil is no less evil, more terrifying than the wicked witch of the west, who may even be a candidate.
It maybe time for the overdue Jeffersonian reforms, another horrifying thought.
Mythology holds that The United States was established as a democracy and continues to serve as the leading democratic model to the world. In the era of instant communications however, the world is watching the horrific spectacle of democratic scorched earth politics in a land of hypocrisy.
Contrary to popular opinion dirty politics are not an American invention. Probably the first cavemen resorted to a club to the back of the head in pursuit tribal leadership. Americans have however, institutionalized “whatever it takes” politics with university courses in campaigning and as a leading export that follows the American sword. Even the founding fathers resorted to “spin” and dirty politics with pamphleteers. The pamphlets of the 18th century had limited circulation but great influence, being directed to an oligarchy since most people couldn’t vote.
Democracy is the true expression of the people, all the people the key being an informed public. The key to current political campaigning, however, is to prevent that same public from ever becoming informed.
The 18th century pamphleteers would envy today's campaigners' access to TV, Internet, face book, twitter, etc. Information overload without accountability, images and words fly absence of context, truth or reason. Negative campaigning has become the norm. Outrageous charge and counter charge alienate the increasingly disinformed public who votes against candidates rather than for a better choice. Campaigns are so viscous that there is no post election healing. Radical right and left seize the agenda, victimizing the public and its will to choose between bad, badder and baddest candidates.
In one respect democracy does live through the available electronic media. Anyone can jump into a ring from his or her living rooms with ever-wilder rhetoric. Everyone now gets into the act with debates between candidates for dogcatcher campaign in kinder gardens, the cutest puppy wins. Ridiculous, maybe but the democratic process is fracture and increasingly fragmented by rhetorical demonization. Demonized is every idea and moral that differs from that of the power seekers. A political corruption that legitimizes book burnings, racism, criminal activity and disenfranchises the electorate. An alienation that legitimizes radicals who point to a one-vote victory as a mandate to continue the erosion of freedoms.
Increasingly the electorate sees the process as corrupt, feel frustrated and deceived. The democratic process is no longer government of the majority but government of competing minorities responding only to increasing extremism. The moderate majority is left without voice but must pay the bill. “Taxation without representation,” familiar?
A government of the minority is a government of elected evil with corruption becoming endemic. Secrecy, deception and cover-up are to tools of the corrupt. Devoid of ethics and integrity, abuse of power becomes the political norm and the rights of man become a historical footnote. Elected evil is no less evil, more terrifying than the wicked witch of the west, who may even be a candidate.
It maybe time for the overdue Jeffersonian reforms, another horrifying thought.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Frightening 041610
A new Dark Age is dawning, not in the old European world but rather in the United States. It is ironic that a country spawned by the age of enlightenment should lead the way to darkness. Franklin, Jefferson, Madison, Adams and others read the works of the ancient thinkers and those of (then) more modern writers. From their readings they penned some of most liberal philosophical ideas of history.
Some of the works they studied had been lost to the Christian book burnings of the Dark Age. In another irony, copies of ancient text had been saved by Muslim scholars and secretly by a few independently minded monks. The monks faced church torture, death and excommunication if their private libraries were discovered.
For hundreds of years the western world lived in befuddle darkness without vision or ideas. When the Crusaders returned from the holy wars they brought with them Islamic seeds that became great western universities. A renaissance of ideas began to shine. It was not an even flowering of ideas as church leader resisted change but book burnings began to decline.
Over the centuries there have been outbreaks of book burnings as oligarchs attempted to stem the flow of ideas. During the 1930s, in NAZI Germany, bonfires of literature became ritual. Many works met the flames only because some oligarch listed a title. Rituals became happenings of excited destruction without reason.
In the 40s and 50s there were isolated book burnings in America as local oligarchy attempted to hold back progressive ideas. American book burnings never became an inferno, as freedom of ideas was deeply ingrained in the culture.
That was then this is now, recently a Florida woman has begun a campaign to place warning labels on book she considers offensive. She is supported by a Liberty movement and Christian groups. Labels will lead to censorship and as this becomes accepted these groups will begin to burn a few books and then whole libraries. Next will be the courts and constitution, which guarantee freedom of expression. Independent thoughts will be outlawed, and oligarch dictated correct thought will becomes law as in NAZI Germany.
It is interesting how all such movements assume names like “Liberty and Freedom” and don a cloak of religious faith. There is a real danger that this slow erosion of freedoms will ultimately tip control to a fascist oligarchy. There are currently political attempts to censor newspapers, television and the internet. The political ability to censor is the ability to control a nations’ agenda. The first principle in staging a coup d'etat is to seize the media, the only message must be that of the conspirators.
Read and consider small ideas, while you can, for there are those seeking to curtail the peoples’ right to think. The light is dimming, it is time to be frightened of the coming darkness.
Some of the works they studied had been lost to the Christian book burnings of the Dark Age. In another irony, copies of ancient text had been saved by Muslim scholars and secretly by a few independently minded monks. The monks faced church torture, death and excommunication if their private libraries were discovered.
For hundreds of years the western world lived in befuddle darkness without vision or ideas. When the Crusaders returned from the holy wars they brought with them Islamic seeds that became great western universities. A renaissance of ideas began to shine. It was not an even flowering of ideas as church leader resisted change but book burnings began to decline.
Over the centuries there have been outbreaks of book burnings as oligarchs attempted to stem the flow of ideas. During the 1930s, in NAZI Germany, bonfires of literature became ritual. Many works met the flames only because some oligarch listed a title. Rituals became happenings of excited destruction without reason.
In the 40s and 50s there were isolated book burnings in America as local oligarchy attempted to hold back progressive ideas. American book burnings never became an inferno, as freedom of ideas was deeply ingrained in the culture.
That was then this is now, recently a Florida woman has begun a campaign to place warning labels on book she considers offensive. She is supported by a Liberty movement and Christian groups. Labels will lead to censorship and as this becomes accepted these groups will begin to burn a few books and then whole libraries. Next will be the courts and constitution, which guarantee freedom of expression. Independent thoughts will be outlawed, and oligarch dictated correct thought will becomes law as in NAZI Germany.
It is interesting how all such movements assume names like “Liberty and Freedom” and don a cloak of religious faith. There is a real danger that this slow erosion of freedoms will ultimately tip control to a fascist oligarchy. There are currently political attempts to censor newspapers, television and the internet. The political ability to censor is the ability to control a nations’ agenda. The first principle in staging a coup d'etat is to seize the media, the only message must be that of the conspirators.
Read and consider small ideas, while you can, for there are those seeking to curtail the peoples’ right to think. The light is dimming, it is time to be frightened of the coming darkness.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Pushing pills 040110
In the 18-century you were old at 30, dead by 40 and the state of medical science was leeches. Broken bones were crudely splinted but, wounds were often an agonizing end. Medical science from the east had been condemned by the church and forgotten.
Global warfare during the 19th century greatly advanced medical science and treatment. Experiments on the casualties built a curriculum for new generation of Doctors. By the beginning of the 20th century these doctors understood how little they really knew about medicine. Even more brutal wars in foreign lands led these doctors to new insights on saving lives.
By the 21st century technological advances in medicine make it possible to keep even the dead, alive. Medicine has become big business and everyone must pay for all the pumps, ventilators, medication, bedpans and around the clock monitoring that keep the body technically alive. Insurance companies are all to ready to pull the plug, while hospitals vote to keep the body alive as long as paitents’ money holds out. Medical personnel stand ready to recycle poor soul’s parts and drug companies invent a more expensive cocktails that promises to raise the dead. Med-business tabulates the profits, forecasting population growth as greater prospects for share holders. The bottom line, the rich get taken, the poor are left in the dust while the middle class goes broke paying Band-Aid freight.
Medical care is on the political agenda this year. Debate centers on the cost and who gets the most Band-Aids. The lines are drawn, insurance companies (vested interest), drug companies (vested interest), Med-businesses (vested interest), medical personnel (vested interest). Who represents the injured and ill, not the legislature (vested interest) looking for votes in the fall?
In an affluent and civilized society necessary medical care should be available to all without social bankruptcy. Debate should really consider what is really necessary care for quality of life. A broken leg, fix them all. Civilizations destroying contagious plague, cure them all. How about a butt lift, or social overhaul while you are unconcious, two operations for one anesthesia, with three you get egg rolls.
There is clearly a need for health care reform but who is best able to draft those reforms, the imperial health care industry or an imperial government? Neither vested interest is capable of objective resolution of conflicting patient interests. All proposals raise the cost of treatment and fail to cure the malady. We are back to the age of leeches now sucking bucks from patients’ wallets.
The medical buzz around a hospital is to have a living will for your treatment. Who do you trust as executor, a government bureaucrat or a Med-business bureaucrat or a prospective heir, maybe even a disinterested stranger walking down the hall? It’s time for serious debate on quality of life care rather than technical possible care.
Global warfare during the 19th century greatly advanced medical science and treatment. Experiments on the casualties built a curriculum for new generation of Doctors. By the beginning of the 20th century these doctors understood how little they really knew about medicine. Even more brutal wars in foreign lands led these doctors to new insights on saving lives.
By the 21st century technological advances in medicine make it possible to keep even the dead, alive. Medicine has become big business and everyone must pay for all the pumps, ventilators, medication, bedpans and around the clock monitoring that keep the body technically alive. Insurance companies are all to ready to pull the plug, while hospitals vote to keep the body alive as long as paitents’ money holds out. Medical personnel stand ready to recycle poor soul’s parts and drug companies invent a more expensive cocktails that promises to raise the dead. Med-business tabulates the profits, forecasting population growth as greater prospects for share holders. The bottom line, the rich get taken, the poor are left in the dust while the middle class goes broke paying Band-Aid freight.
Medical care is on the political agenda this year. Debate centers on the cost and who gets the most Band-Aids. The lines are drawn, insurance companies (vested interest), drug companies (vested interest), Med-businesses (vested interest), medical personnel (vested interest). Who represents the injured and ill, not the legislature (vested interest) looking for votes in the fall?
In an affluent and civilized society necessary medical care should be available to all without social bankruptcy. Debate should really consider what is really necessary care for quality of life. A broken leg, fix them all. Civilizations destroying contagious plague, cure them all. How about a butt lift, or social overhaul while you are unconcious, two operations for one anesthesia, with three you get egg rolls.
There is clearly a need for health care reform but who is best able to draft those reforms, the imperial health care industry or an imperial government? Neither vested interest is capable of objective resolution of conflicting patient interests. All proposals raise the cost of treatment and fail to cure the malady. We are back to the age of leeches now sucking bucks from patients’ wallets.
The medical buzz around a hospital is to have a living will for your treatment. Who do you trust as executor, a government bureaucrat or a Med-business bureaucrat or a prospective heir, maybe even a disinterested stranger walking down the hall? It’s time for serious debate on quality of life care rather than technical possible care.
Ownership 0031510
The financial bull is in the china shop. Both the bull and the shop are now owned by China (PRC). The United States is not the greatest debtor in the world when consider against its GDP but according to government economist it is the greatest debtor in real dollars.
The problem of economics can be linked to the development of computers, now every theorist can crunch their own favored numbers for favored outcomes. That said, comparing debt/GDP of the United States’ 54% against China’s 18% indicates a disparity between the two. America is carrying three times the debt of China. China is also one of the fastest growing economies at 8.7% GDP while America dropped into negative returns in 2009. The U.S. projections are that in the next five years its the Debt/GDP ratio will grow between 15 and 45 % depending on who’s numbers are used, but the trend is to greater debt.
There is little wonder then that the Bush administration went to China to borrow operating funds (selling bonds). China already held massive amounts of American debt and in self-interest had to prop up the dollar. Still faced with a shaky economy the Obama administration has approached the Chinese about devaluing those bonds by financial manipulation. China strongly opposes the figurative ten cents on the dollar deal, which makes their good faith investment a bad debt. Did the U.S. government hire two many Lehman Brothers’ bankers?
Already on a fast track it appears that China will pursue its own economic model. China is building an economic market that may eventually be closed to U.S. participation. China’s Premier Wen Jiabao acknowledges that China economy is in transition and fragile. A massive American default could rip the fabric of growth for a period but the cost to America would be greater.
For most of this century China has been out making friends, providing aid and inking resource agreements around the world. China has oil agreements with Iraq, Sudan, Canada, Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile and is building a pipeline across Afghanistan linking to CAS and Iranian oil fields. America on the other hand finds an increasing number of oil producers are not friendly either on geo-politics and ideology. The Bush missteps in attempting to take over friendly oilfields further alienated producers. America’s history of supporting dissent and encouraging ethnic insurrection in foreign lands while suppressing it at home does not encourage world trust.
In two years seven of the nine seats at the center of Chinese power are up for election. It is the campaign season in Beijing and reversing the American playbook, nothing looks better for a politician than to be tough on the West. Expect China to assert itself, it will not step lightly on the world stage. Chinese memories are long and western exploitation is still fresh in living memories.
The problem of economics can be linked to the development of computers, now every theorist can crunch their own favored numbers for favored outcomes. That said, comparing debt/GDP of the United States’ 54% against China’s 18% indicates a disparity between the two. America is carrying three times the debt of China. China is also one of the fastest growing economies at 8.7% GDP while America dropped into negative returns in 2009. The U.S. projections are that in the next five years its the Debt/GDP ratio will grow between 15 and 45 % depending on who’s numbers are used, but the trend is to greater debt.
There is little wonder then that the Bush administration went to China to borrow operating funds (selling bonds). China already held massive amounts of American debt and in self-interest had to prop up the dollar. Still faced with a shaky economy the Obama administration has approached the Chinese about devaluing those bonds by financial manipulation. China strongly opposes the figurative ten cents on the dollar deal, which makes their good faith investment a bad debt. Did the U.S. government hire two many Lehman Brothers’ bankers?
Already on a fast track it appears that China will pursue its own economic model. China is building an economic market that may eventually be closed to U.S. participation. China’s Premier Wen Jiabao acknowledges that China economy is in transition and fragile. A massive American default could rip the fabric of growth for a period but the cost to America would be greater.
For most of this century China has been out making friends, providing aid and inking resource agreements around the world. China has oil agreements with Iraq, Sudan, Canada, Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile and is building a pipeline across Afghanistan linking to CAS and Iranian oil fields. America on the other hand finds an increasing number of oil producers are not friendly either on geo-politics and ideology. The Bush missteps in attempting to take over friendly oilfields further alienated producers. America’s history of supporting dissent and encouraging ethnic insurrection in foreign lands while suppressing it at home does not encourage world trust.
In two years seven of the nine seats at the center of Chinese power are up for election. It is the campaign season in Beijing and reversing the American playbook, nothing looks better for a politician than to be tough on the West. Expect China to assert itself, it will not step lightly on the world stage. Chinese memories are long and western exploitation is still fresh in living memories.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
GOD Gap 030110
Its official there is a “God Gap” in American foreign policy. According to a two-year study by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, American foreign policy is handicapped by narrow, ill-informed and "uncompromising Western secularism" that feeds religious extremism, threatens traditional cultures and fails to encourage religious groups that promote peace and human rights.
The Council is not alone in its findings a number of previous government studies support their findings. Senior scholars have long noted that the government has failed to understand the roll of religion in many parts of the world. In 1998 Congress passed the International Religious Freedom Act making religious freedom a U.S. foreign policy priority. Of course Congress' focus was only on freedom for Christians.
Richard Cizik notes that some parts of the world are particularly sensitive to the U.S. government's emphasis on religious freedom and sees it as a form of imperialism. The current wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan began as religious wars of Saintly Christians against Demonic Muslims. Senior American officers preached that Islam was next to devil worship and invading soldiers desecrated Islamic relics, holy places and insulted religious leaders. The United States has been slow to adjust to the global role of religion not only in the Middle East but also Latin America, Africa the Far East even to domestic religious turmoil.
Religious warfare is not new. In 1096ce, 200 years of Catholic Crusading began against Muslims. Today it is ignored that the Crusaders killed probably more Christians than Muslims. It is also forgotten that the crusades began because a Roman pope wanted to bring all Christendom under his power and his soldiers wanted only loot. The eight crusades in the “Holy Land” were followed by brutal crusades across Europe. Martin Luther put a match to the fuse in 1517 with his (Protestant) thesis leading to French religious wars, and 400 years of Irish warfare that is still on and off. America was founded with a principle of religious freedom but has been less than free with a history of religious persecution of Indians, Catholics, Jews and any other group not of an accepted Protestant faith.
In the mid 1940s when the issue of Israel and Palestine was being hotly debated at the United Nations, the American ambassador stated he could not understand why the two parties could not sit down as Christian gentlemen and settle their differences. The Jews and Muslims looked at each other asking how Christians settled disputes and have been killing each other ever since.
The Council’s report was intended as a call to accept religious differences in foreign affairs. It is probable however that the religious right will seize on the report as justification of their particular brand of fundamentalism. The 21st century is in danger of being the century of religious warfare. A century where all sects invent their own Joan of Arc rallying the fateful to kill for a GOD.
The Council is not alone in its findings a number of previous government studies support their findings. Senior scholars have long noted that the government has failed to understand the roll of religion in many parts of the world. In 1998 Congress passed the International Religious Freedom Act making religious freedom a U.S. foreign policy priority. Of course Congress' focus was only on freedom for Christians.
Richard Cizik notes that some parts of the world are particularly sensitive to the U.S. government's emphasis on religious freedom and sees it as a form of imperialism. The current wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan began as religious wars of Saintly Christians against Demonic Muslims. Senior American officers preached that Islam was next to devil worship and invading soldiers desecrated Islamic relics, holy places and insulted religious leaders. The United States has been slow to adjust to the global role of religion not only in the Middle East but also Latin America, Africa the Far East even to domestic religious turmoil.
Religious warfare is not new. In 1096ce, 200 years of Catholic Crusading began against Muslims. Today it is ignored that the Crusaders killed probably more Christians than Muslims. It is also forgotten that the crusades began because a Roman pope wanted to bring all Christendom under his power and his soldiers wanted only loot. The eight crusades in the “Holy Land” were followed by brutal crusades across Europe. Martin Luther put a match to the fuse in 1517 with his (Protestant) thesis leading to French religious wars, and 400 years of Irish warfare that is still on and off. America was founded with a principle of religious freedom but has been less than free with a history of religious persecution of Indians, Catholics, Jews and any other group not of an accepted Protestant faith.
In the mid 1940s when the issue of Israel and Palestine was being hotly debated at the United Nations, the American ambassador stated he could not understand why the two parties could not sit down as Christian gentlemen and settle their differences. The Jews and Muslims looked at each other asking how Christians settled disputes and have been killing each other ever since.
The Council’s report was intended as a call to accept religious differences in foreign affairs. It is probable however that the religious right will seize on the report as justification of their particular brand of fundamentalism. The 21st century is in danger of being the century of religious warfare. A century where all sects invent their own Joan of Arc rallying the fateful to kill for a GOD.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Overloaded 022310
Pundits, executives and politicians have lauded the advent of an information age as the golden advancement of civilization. Ancient agrarian societies gave way to industrial societies. During the latter half of the 20th century however, advanced industrial societies began to collapse when faced with free market world competition. Rather than adjust to new dynamics, leaders of developed States heralded the information society where no one worked but all talked, as the savior of their exalted status.
During the Dark Age information was tightly controlled by an oligarchy of clerics and lords. Information was disseminated from pulpits or shouted out as royal edicts. This limited information of course supported only the interest of the oligarchy. There was an information explosion around 1439CE when Gutenberg invented his printing process. People learned to read priests lost their lock on religion and kings lost their monopoly of governance. Information advanced ideas; leaders like Martin Luther and Oliver Cromwell led increasingly enlightened populations from the oligarchy’s oppression.
For nearly 500 years the printed word served to free people, the most notable was the 18th-19th century revolutions that freed the west from Old World oppressions. Small towns had morning and afternoon papers. Cities had dozens of each with multiple editions and extras that informed. The printed word advanced science where ideas were shared and built upon. This information sharing led to inventions of telephones and radio. Telephones equally served business and gossips and radio provided news and entertainment. Reality became confused as when Orson Wells broadcast the War of the World and America panicked. Radio was powerful because it linked the listener’s own imagination to reports. Radio became the ideal instrument for propaganda for people believed what they thought they heard and couldn’t reread its reports. There was still the books and papers for the discussion.
Television sold soap and flipped burgers along with its news and entertainment, blending all into a competing societal misinformation mire. Now nothing is news unless there are pictures but the pictures don’t go along with the stories and the screen is cluttered with simultaneous advertisements and unrelated notes, charts and crawls. People who get their news only from TV are less informed than those who received no news. TV is the toy of politicians, sound bites, photo ops and spin-doctors, dis-information rules.
Scientific exchange became the Internet now carrying e-chats, twit notes (twitter), personal videos and phones link into a molasses of ignorance. The hallowed newspapers are closing their doors because increasing numbers of non-readers prefer light shows and entertainment to facts, explanations and reason. Reason is lost in a stormy sea of contradictions.
After 600 years the oligarchy of political media masters are again gaining control of the message. The information age heralds an Orwellian world of an oppressive technological Dark Age. Obey their message!
During the Dark Age information was tightly controlled by an oligarchy of clerics and lords. Information was disseminated from pulpits or shouted out as royal edicts. This limited information of course supported only the interest of the oligarchy. There was an information explosion around 1439CE when Gutenberg invented his printing process. People learned to read priests lost their lock on religion and kings lost their monopoly of governance. Information advanced ideas; leaders like Martin Luther and Oliver Cromwell led increasingly enlightened populations from the oligarchy’s oppression.
For nearly 500 years the printed word served to free people, the most notable was the 18th-19th century revolutions that freed the west from Old World oppressions. Small towns had morning and afternoon papers. Cities had dozens of each with multiple editions and extras that informed. The printed word advanced science where ideas were shared and built upon. This information sharing led to inventions of telephones and radio. Telephones equally served business and gossips and radio provided news and entertainment. Reality became confused as when Orson Wells broadcast the War of the World and America panicked. Radio was powerful because it linked the listener’s own imagination to reports. Radio became the ideal instrument for propaganda for people believed what they thought they heard and couldn’t reread its reports. There was still the books and papers for the discussion.
Television sold soap and flipped burgers along with its news and entertainment, blending all into a competing societal misinformation mire. Now nothing is news unless there are pictures but the pictures don’t go along with the stories and the screen is cluttered with simultaneous advertisements and unrelated notes, charts and crawls. People who get their news only from TV are less informed than those who received no news. TV is the toy of politicians, sound bites, photo ops and spin-doctors, dis-information rules.
Scientific exchange became the Internet now carrying e-chats, twit notes (twitter), personal videos and phones link into a molasses of ignorance. The hallowed newspapers are closing their doors because increasing numbers of non-readers prefer light shows and entertainment to facts, explanations and reason. Reason is lost in a stormy sea of contradictions.
After 600 years the oligarchy of political media masters are again gaining control of the message. The information age heralds an Orwellian world of an oppressive technological Dark Age. Obey their message!
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