We live in a Potemkin reality manufactured by the corporate media and increasingly, Big Tech. Thank god for Substack to allow at least some of us to peer out of Plato’s Cave.
We live in a Potemkin reality manufactured by the corporate media and increasingly, Big Tech. Thank god for Substack to allow at least some of us to peer out of Plato’s Cave.
*sigh* For most people most of the time, the fastest and surest way to wind up dead or seriously disadvantaged has been at the hands of our fellow humans. At the same time, "our group", whether by faith, family, tribe, regiment, whatever, are the people we can trust to have our back.
Therefore, whatever else happens, whatever we have to do, believe absurdities, blindly follow barking insane leaders, parrot obvious lies to our detriment, do or suffer terrible things, but please whatever you do, please don't kick us out of the group!
Those who have lived in the Third World and in developed countries should have a light come on about now.
What this also means is that when we are presented with incontrovertible proof that the group narrative is wrong or that the group leaders are mad or charlatans or worse, rather than change leaders or change beliefs or change groups, most people, most of the time will instead double down. Witness the behavior of cultists.
The process is called "cognitive dissonance" and it is abundantly documented. As alluded to earlier, there are entire religions organized around the principle.
Cognitive dissonance is not limited to stupid people. In fact, the intelligent are at least as prone, perhaps because they are better at rationalizing. In fact, much so-called "knowledge work" is basically learning symbol manipulation in order to rationalize something.
Fact: Putin and his regime are intent on eliminating Ukrainian V. Zelensky and his supporters--so far, by every violent means at his (Putin's) disposal except, at this writing, overtly used chemical/biological or tactical nuclear weapons. Putin and Zelensky are genuine foes. Theirs is not some international pantomime of war-theatre.
Fact: In dispute and driving the conflict ,now and for some decades already, is Putin and Zelensky's polar opposite views on the matter of Ukraine's being or not being culturally, socially, politically simply and in effect Russia's hegemonic-property to do with as it may please and suit whomever happens to be the current ruler of Russia.
So, (American) observers of this have choices:
they can choose between Putin's regime or Zelensky's--and try to explain and justify their choice. In this case, they're going to prefer one over the other in some more or less general or specific way
they can decide, if they choose to, that Putin and Zelensky are each in his own way too monstrous for any wise person to choose between them. (Just how they manage that morally and intellectually while also looking the balance of historical fact over the past forty years squarely in the face is something which escapes me But anyone who can do that can have five minutes of my attention.)
they can assert (and act (that is, refuse to act) on the assertion) that "this isn't our fight, our problem"--and hope they're right over the long-term
they can reason that, while it isn't our fight, we can and ought to lend serious material support (in arms and ammunition) to Zelensky's forces, hoping he'll win (and help bring about what they perhaps secretly hope for: "somebody please get rid of this Putin guy _so we don't have to_."
If Putin's aims are realized, Ukraine shall look like and be a very different kind of place for its indigenous people to live their lives--those lives shall be in many and important ways, much or entirely less free and not-of-their-choosing than should be the case if Zelensky's forces repulse the Russian invasion to all but an insignificant degree.
Where, in that, is the "completely false" content?
Most Americans know that Russia is about to lose. The Ghost of Kiev is taking care of business. Together with the snakes on the plane, er, on the island.
We live in a Potemkin reality manufactured by the corporate media and increasingly, Big Tech. Thank god for Substack to allow at least some of us to peer out of Plato’s Cave.
Literally every single thing most Americans know about this war is completely false.
At this point pretty much everything most Americans “know” about everything is completely false. Except for we enlightened few of course :-).
It honestly doesn’t take much. Just a little curiosity and a lack of enthusiasm for cult ritual.
The sad human reality is, conformity feels real good to the average person.
*sigh* For most people most of the time, the fastest and surest way to wind up dead or seriously disadvantaged has been at the hands of our fellow humans. At the same time, "our group", whether by faith, family, tribe, regiment, whatever, are the people we can trust to have our back.
Therefore, whatever else happens, whatever we have to do, believe absurdities, blindly follow barking insane leaders, parrot obvious lies to our detriment, do or suffer terrible things, but please whatever you do, please don't kick us out of the group!
Those who have lived in the Third World and in developed countries should have a light come on about now.
What this also means is that when we are presented with incontrovertible proof that the group narrative is wrong or that the group leaders are mad or charlatans or worse, rather than change leaders or change beliefs or change groups, most people, most of the time will instead double down. Witness the behavior of cultists.
The process is called "cognitive dissonance" and it is abundantly documented. As alluded to earlier, there are entire religions organized around the principle.
Cognitive dissonance is not limited to stupid people. In fact, the intelligent are at least as prone, perhaps because they are better at rationalizing. In fact, much so-called "knowledge work" is basically learning symbol manipulation in order to rationalize something.
"Cognitive dissonance is not limited to stupid people." Enough to console you in your darker moments I trust.
True but that's in short supply, always was but it's on a new level now.
Sadly as much as I try there is so much I don’t know or worse things I think I know which are wrong
That is a rather enlightened, if dangerous, realization.
Fact: Putin and his regime are intent on eliminating Ukrainian V. Zelensky and his supporters--so far, by every violent means at his (Putin's) disposal except, at this writing, overtly used chemical/biological or tactical nuclear weapons. Putin and Zelensky are genuine foes. Theirs is not some international pantomime of war-theatre.
Fact: In dispute and driving the conflict ,now and for some decades already, is Putin and Zelensky's polar opposite views on the matter of Ukraine's being or not being culturally, socially, politically simply and in effect Russia's hegemonic-property to do with as it may please and suit whomever happens to be the current ruler of Russia.
So, (American) observers of this have choices:
they can choose between Putin's regime or Zelensky's--and try to explain and justify their choice. In this case, they're going to prefer one over the other in some more or less general or specific way
they can decide, if they choose to, that Putin and Zelensky are each in his own way too monstrous for any wise person to choose between them. (Just how they manage that morally and intellectually while also looking the balance of historical fact over the past forty years squarely in the face is something which escapes me But anyone who can do that can have five minutes of my attention.)
they can assert (and act (that is, refuse to act) on the assertion) that "this isn't our fight, our problem"--and hope they're right over the long-term
they can reason that, while it isn't our fight, we can and ought to lend serious material support (in arms and ammunition) to Zelensky's forces, hoping he'll win (and help bring about what they perhaps secretly hope for: "somebody please get rid of this Putin guy _so we don't have to_."
If Putin's aims are realized, Ukraine shall look like and be a very different kind of place for its indigenous people to live their lives--those lives shall be in many and important ways, much or entirely less free and not-of-their-choosing than should be the case if Zelensky's forces repulse the Russian invasion to all but an insignificant degree.
Where, in that, is the "completely false" content?
Most Americans know that Russia is about to lose. The Ghost of Kiev is taking care of business. Together with the snakes on the plane, er, on the island.
Here is an interesting video I came across today:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFe9SW05zzA
Also:
https://smoothiex12.blogspot.com/2022/03/i-know-it-hurts-but.html
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/ukraine-nato-united-states-russian-casualties/
They're not privileged as we are to be set straight by Sevender, The Troll Whisperer.
2 great refs in one comment. WIN.
Potemkin's Cave.
They call it the metaverse