Comfortable Lies in the USA

originally posted by: jimmyx
a reply to: NavyDoc

I actually agree with you on this ND...(rare indeed)....those that come out and broadly proclaim that Americans are self-delusional, have not taken into consideration that most Americans are trying to get by with the hand that has been dealt to them. there are many pitfalls throughout life, most people pick themselves up, and try and make the best of it. we all try to carve out our own little niche that makes life more bearable. being happy or positive does not mean you are ignorant nor misinformed.

You know, that is a very, very valid point. A lot of people buy cheap food because that is what they have to do. In urban areas, "going organic" is neither easy nor cheap.

This is a very, very great point:

we all try to carve out our own little niche that makes life more bearable. being happy or positive does not mean you are ignorant nor misinformed.

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: NavyDoc

Possibly. I imagine his point would have been better received if he hadn't of adopted the holier than thou attitude. He certainly did have a fair point. Though he neglected that many people actually DO recognize that on some level what they are doing isn't 100% safe or effective but they rationalization are making is that it can't happen to them. Though you could then have an argument about if the lies in the article and the above rationalization are the same thing (does someone REALLY believe that something isn't 100% effective if they believe nothing bad will happen to them if they do it?). Though what might have been and what we have appears to be two separate things.

Rereading the list, there are few on the list that are designed to push conspiracy theories (fluoride in water, GMO's, vaccines, etc). So take that with what you will. I'm sure there is some deception going on with those topics, but I don't think it warrants the tin foil hat.

Sure. Some points I agree with, some I don't. The author does seem to have a certain worldview/agenda and that's perfectly fine. I guess my main criticism is with the tone of the article, which is really an opinion piece. I agree that the WOD is a failure and needs to be removed. Heck, as more of a libertarian minded individual, I'd probably agree with many of the underlying points of he author--it is smart to have stored food on hand for example or be prepared for local and/or national emergencies.

Regardless of your stance though, it's getting harder every day to see through all the BS, especially on the Web.

a reply to: AnteBellum

Yes. And it does help to point it out explicitly.

I think the list is made up of memes that people believe and participate in to varying extents. They are not, technically lies.

Someone needs to write a children's book on how to process the overwhelming amount of information coming at them. LOL, it wouldn't be parents giving them this book if they are trying to program kids into memes like religion or capitalism.

It might be a gift from that "strange uncle".

a reply to: AnteBellum

I find this list very childish. It sounds like "An Idiots Guide on How to Turn Yourself into a Conspiracy Nut"

I'm not saying that these points have no validity, but I am saying that they sound as if some kid with a black/white mentality wrote them.

And how in the world did this list go from #36 talking about organic foods to #37 Human civilization is the only intelligent civilization in the entire galaxy. Anything else would simply be too scary to contemplate.

a reply to: TerryMcGuire

Do you all think ATS is the usual perspective, then?

I'm not saying Americans are fools, mind you. But surely the black and white mentality is quite obvious in our social culture, here. Look at television. Look at the profiling by police. And then look at some of the responses to threads, here. The black/white mentality is alive and well, as far as what I read, and see happening on the news, if that's representative of anything.
tetra

originally posted by: InverseLookingGlass
Someone needs to write a children's book on how to process the overwhelming amount of information coming at them.

I've often said that we are, as a culture, in a profound state of culture shock. The changes in the last century are absolutely mind-boggling. Yet somehow our armchair theorists use that term for other people and never for ourselves, go figure.

One sort of "emergent" element of the culture shock is the breathtaking enormity of the increase in information both in quantity and speed. Obviously especially on the internet.

I think you're totally right, but it's a profound observation and alas one that can't actually be handled well in a book. Our people actually DO need training on how to handle the sheer volume and speed of information and change -- except I'm not sure that is something that can be trained. Aside from some decent advice on a few obvious points.

I think culture is moving toward an environment which simply has different requirements of people. Those who do well in today's world may be a very different sort than would have done well in 1949 for example.

RC

originally posted by: TerryMcGuire
And how in the world did this list go from #36 talking about organic foods to #37 Human civilization is the only intelligent civilization in the entire galaxy. Anything else would simply be too scary to contemplate.

Yes that detail made me laugh too!