The authorities are getting nervous. They are outright telling us that we absolutely should NOT be doing our own research, but trust them instead. Critical thinking is out for the little people.
The problem with that is that post-COVID many can see that so many experts and authorities are full of doo doo. Lots and lots of doo doo.
Screaming at the curious to stay away from the internet because it is full of disinformation is like standing in front of a library and screaming,
"Don't go in there! Not everything in there is true. Stay out of there and we will tell you what to think."
Hold on - they are actually saying that about libraries.
Like the internet, the official line goes, libraries are filled with "disinformation" and "misinformation". Best to stay away, turn your brain off, and do and think what you are told.
I like Alberto Rios' poetic response to the establishment's edict to stay out of the library.
Don't Go Into The Library
The library is dangerous—
Don’t go in. If you do
You know what will happen.
It’s like a pet store or a bakery—
Every single time you’ll come out of there
Holding something in your arms.
Those novels with their big eyes.
And those no-nonsense, all muscle
Greyhounds and Dobermans,
All non-fiction and business,
Cuddly when they’re young,
But then the first page is turned.
The doughnut scent of it all, knowledge,
The aroma of coffee being made
In all those books, something for everyone,
The deli offerings of civilization itself.
The library is the book of books,
Its concrete and wood and glass covers
Keeping within them the very big,
Very long story of everything.
The library is dangerous, full
Of answers. If you go inside,
You may not come out
The same person who went in.
And there it is - what the authorities are afraid of.
If we do our own research, if we think for ourselves, we won't come out the same person that went in. We will be better informed independent thinkers that know who we are, and what we want.
And we don't want the crap they are selling us. From the electrification of vehicles to war, it is all an elaborate fantasy world that more people are waking up to.
What the diligent researcher will discover, is that the system is rigged against us. It always has been, and it always will be if we don't mobilize against it. This is all well documented.
It isn't a flaw in the system. It was purposely designed that way, and it is functioning just as they want it to. Or at least it has been until recently.
Now it is falling apart, and critical thinking has never been more important to our survival. We need more, not less.
Don't shop.
Keep thinking.
Additional reading: Do Your Own Research? A Reference Librarian's Recommendations
Yes! I love Alberto Rios; perfect poem for this post. You better believe I go to our local library every chance I get. Every. Chance.
ReplyDeleteThe public library is one of the best things humanity has ever come up with. They are precious, and we can' have democracy without them. But we also need people that want to use them. Wouldn't the powers that shouldn't be love to shut libraries down? Burn them, underfund them, both work.
DeleteSpent a great deal of my childhood being "smacked upside the head" because my favourite word was "why." As I got older I learned to duck but never stopped asking the question. Never will. Apparently that makes me a battle-axe but I can live with that.
ReplyDeleteThey don't want us to ask that important question. Knowledge isn't for the serfs.
DeleteI look forward to reading books that change my perspective, allowing me to grow. The magic is that I never know when these special books will come along. When I get one, I feel a sense of awe. I'm grateful to them all.
ReplyDeleteCan you tell me more? I used to work at a library in high school. Published books can certainly contain misinformation, but social media literally promotes and propagates it if it gets clicks.
ReplyDelete“The Chaos Machine” is a recent book that looks at this, and the large social media players actually profit from misinformation that can literally turn deadly as the book documents.
I agree that trying t dissuade critical thinking is dangerous, but I’m not sure all corners of the internet can be held up as bastions of truth.
I like the blog and simple living you’re inspiring for me! Just asking for more context on this post :)
Did you check the link at the bottom of the post? That provides a bit of information on the topic, perhaps a good place to start.
DeleteThese days a great deal of misinformation comes from "trusted sources" such as the government, legacy media outlets, and corporate PR machines.
Overall, I try to listen to everyone, but trust no one.
I wonder if any other readers have strategies to share?
- Gregg
Thanks, Gregg. I hadn’t caught the article, I thought it was a Terms of Service link or something at first pass.
DeleteI did read it and it’s an excellent resource!