Walter, I agree with the premise of your argument, that we shouldn’t be letting people off the hook when they turn away from injustice and allow it to continue to exist in perpetuity. I thought about my own behavior. Stay with me here…
For example, I had a conversation with a neighbor regarding the protests last weekend, and I admit I let her off the hook when she said that while she doesn’t condone anything Trump does, she doesn’t like to get involved with politics because it’s too upsetting for her.
Yes, when it comes to human behavior and morality, there are things that are absolute, and we need to stop the both sides crap and making excuses.
As far as my own values go, I was trained as a scientist and lived and worked in that world for most of my life, and the message in a nutshell in my doctoral program was very clear: the more you learn, the less you know. Scientists are trained to keep an open mind and realize that it takes a hell of a lot of evidence to be able to state with certainty that something is absolute, and even then, long-accepted facts can be altered by further analysis- using the scientific method, of course.
There is always a pinch of skepticism that must be held in one’s mind when facing any fact. That scientific method is what’s allowed us to make the advances that we have, and that are now at risk because of the RFK Jr. and anti-vax and “do your own research” crowd.
I have caught myself on numerous occasions making “excuses” and letting people like my neighbor off the hook on moral issues because it’s easy to conflate the scientific thinking habit with the moral thinking.
I am more confrontational than I used to be, but now I find myself wishing I had asked Kmy neighbor, if they come for me, will you protect me or look the other way?
What is alarming is when a scientifically trained person uses that scientific thinking in an immoral way, all the snake oil salesmen and quacks out there using the letters behind their name (Dr. Oz) to serve their own interests but not the public’s. And this has become so commonplace that scientifically illiterate people have picked up on this and think it’s okay. Including members of Congress.
Critical thinking and being aware of the limitations of your own knowledge is the missing link in this country. Thanks for another thoughtful post.
Yes, I agree with that completely. I also don’t think we should be letting people off the hook. Our society has all sorts of blind spots where people park themselves and they feel as if they are allowed to maintain their uncharitable viewpoints without consequence. We have to remove all those blind spots, or at least shine some light on them.
"For example, this nation does not stand for truth or justice. This nation is not free." It never was, really, unless you were/are white and rich.
This is why history has to be studied and taken seriously. The U.S. got drunk on its own mythology a long time ago and will likely not get sober any time soon. Whereas we in Canada took a more pragmatic and realistic approach- we were a colony of Britain, we live north of the U.S., and we are a combination of each while trying to be our own thing. Plus the whole English/French split. How do you make a unified mythology out of that?
Walter, this piece activated my mental defenses to rhetorical tricks more than most. Thank you! Now I want to know what OTHER similar things you have noticed in your study of the devices that are being used in perhaps an attempt to indoctrinate us. PLEASE WRITE ABOUT MORE OF THEM! . :-)
Yes the myths and lies are stacked so high it takes a lifetime of work to disentangle them . So many lies and things we take for reality that are just ideas and within our power to change if we simply stop believing in them .
You did not use that phrase. It’s mine in response to your “not all…” commentary. If I missed your point, I apologize. I’m just a bit fed up with using the same wide brush to judge groups. As for changing our thinking, I think Einstein would agree with you, recalling that he said that we are doomed unless we change our thinking (or something like that). I will reread your post carefully. I’m on my way to get a much needed eye exam!
I think we can always assume that exceptions are implied in any group. My concern is diverting attention away from an important topic, which is a common rhetorical device these days. This was deployed during the #notallmen controversy, which was an attempt to direct attention away from acts of violence directed at women.
Walter, I agree with the premise of your argument, that we shouldn’t be letting people off the hook when they turn away from injustice and allow it to continue to exist in perpetuity. I thought about my own behavior. Stay with me here…
For example, I had a conversation with a neighbor regarding the protests last weekend, and I admit I let her off the hook when she said that while she doesn’t condone anything Trump does, she doesn’t like to get involved with politics because it’s too upsetting for her.
Yes, when it comes to human behavior and morality, there are things that are absolute, and we need to stop the both sides crap and making excuses.
As far as my own values go, I was trained as a scientist and lived and worked in that world for most of my life, and the message in a nutshell in my doctoral program was very clear: the more you learn, the less you know. Scientists are trained to keep an open mind and realize that it takes a hell of a lot of evidence to be able to state with certainty that something is absolute, and even then, long-accepted facts can be altered by further analysis- using the scientific method, of course.
There is always a pinch of skepticism that must be held in one’s mind when facing any fact. That scientific method is what’s allowed us to make the advances that we have, and that are now at risk because of the RFK Jr. and anti-vax and “do your own research” crowd.
I have caught myself on numerous occasions making “excuses” and letting people like my neighbor off the hook on moral issues because it’s easy to conflate the scientific thinking habit with the moral thinking.
I am more confrontational than I used to be, but now I find myself wishing I had asked Kmy neighbor, if they come for me, will you protect me or look the other way?
What is alarming is when a scientifically trained person uses that scientific thinking in an immoral way, all the snake oil salesmen and quacks out there using the letters behind their name (Dr. Oz) to serve their own interests but not the public’s. And this has become so commonplace that scientifically illiterate people have picked up on this and think it’s okay. Including members of Congress.
Critical thinking and being aware of the limitations of your own knowledge is the missing link in this country. Thanks for another thoughtful post.
Yes, I agree with that completely. I also don’t think we should be letting people off the hook. Our society has all sorts of blind spots where people park themselves and they feel as if they are allowed to maintain their uncharitable viewpoints without consequence. We have to remove all those blind spots, or at least shine some light on them.
"For example, this nation does not stand for truth or justice. This nation is not free." It never was, really, unless you were/are white and rich.
This is why history has to be studied and taken seriously. The U.S. got drunk on its own mythology a long time ago and will likely not get sober any time soon. Whereas we in Canada took a more pragmatic and realistic approach- we were a colony of Britain, we live north of the U.S., and we are a combination of each while trying to be our own thing. Plus the whole English/French split. How do you make a unified mythology out of that?
Walter, this piece activated my mental defenses to rhetorical tricks more than most. Thank you! Now I want to know what OTHER similar things you have noticed in your study of the devices that are being used in perhaps an attempt to indoctrinate us. PLEASE WRITE ABOUT MORE OF THEM! . :-)
Thank you! Yes, this is an ongoing process. There is a lot to unpack. Stay tuned!
Thank you Walter. As a therapist and progressive, I know we can change our brains.
Thanks Carol!
that's why I make up my own words to the dumberican national anthem. # 1. it's a ridiculously stupid anthem to begin with, the lyrics, not the tune..
# 2 dumberica is not free. it is the opposite of free.
I like my version(s) much better.
oh say can you see
my dog over there
he's big and he's cute
and he has black hair....
💯 % Cognitive dissonance is a “hell of a drug!”
Yes the myths and lies are stacked so high it takes a lifetime of work to disentangle them . So many lies and things we take for reality that are just ideas and within our power to change if we simply stop believing in them .
People are stupid. Does that mean all people, some people, or certain people?
Bots or not, the way I see it it’s all tribal bullshit.
Also, someone called me a racist when I said “not all white people.” That person lost my attention.
It's unfortunate that hurtful accusations like that are thrown around. Sometimes things like that are bot accounts.
Why did you write that? That phrase doesn't appear in my article.
You did not use that phrase. It’s mine in response to your “not all…” commentary. If I missed your point, I apologize. I’m just a bit fed up with using the same wide brush to judge groups. As for changing our thinking, I think Einstein would agree with you, recalling that he said that we are doomed unless we change our thinking (or something like that). I will reread your post carefully. I’m on my way to get a much needed eye exam!
I think we can always assume that exceptions are implied in any group. My concern is diverting attention away from an important topic, which is a common rhetorical device these days. This was deployed during the #notallmen controversy, which was an attempt to direct attention away from acts of violence directed at women.