Why do many Americans so easily accept blatant lies as gospel?
Although we all make assumptions about what is true, truth is neither obvious nor immutable. Sifting through the various facts and claims of truth can be exhausting, so most of us prioritize our pursuits of truth. We tend to put more energy into pursuing truth in essential decisions and activities, such as choosing our life partner, friends, occupation, religion, and education. We often take shortcuts in areas that do not involve us personally. For example, while some of us might want help if there is a famine in Slovenia, most of us will ignore the plight of Slovenians. We have problems in our hometown; we neither have the time nor the energy to worry about the four corners of the earth. We may think, “Well, those Slovenians will work it out, or it must be their own fault.”
People may have a very detailed interest in the pass completion percentage of our favorite quarterback or the latest brand of yoga pants. Still, most of us do not research or know the basic facts about our government’s activities. As a consequence, most Americans rely on tweets, news programs, friends, and family to “decide” who to vote for. Most of us bend to the easiest-to-acquire and most persuasive political pitch that matches our pre-existing prejudices.
It is no fluke that our nation’s wealthiest people and corporations spend heavily to acquire regional and national newspaper syndicates, social media companies like Twitter, movie companies, streaming services, and television networks. They want to make sure that their products and social philosophy become second nature to all of us. They want their ideas to dominate us. They do not want us to consider competing products or ideas.
Our American overlords have succeeded mainly in both merchandising and politics. However, our Northern European brothers and sisters have no problem thinking about other political solutions that promote equality, life, liberty, and the pursuit of justice. America once pursued these ideals, but now our advertising and public opinion overlords will not let us think about these things. To think about equality is a slippery slope to communism. Instead, we have been brainwashed to accept unbelievable gun violence, millions without health care, rule by con men, and lies instead of truth. We want to be entertained as cheaply as possible, without being burdened by tough political decisions.
Our country is now largely controlled by con men and women who are continuing to bend all of us to their will. Do we want to continue to benefit from their bounty of “free” services and personal version of truth? Are we willing to sacrifice our collective ability to perceive truth for ourselves in this exchange?
The following is a link to the updated playlist for Time Travelers from the 19th Century. Our hypothetical travelers from the past are aghast at America’s departure from the pursuit of truth and justice. The first video is a new one about how con men and the disinformation culture they have created destroy truth.