Bad Guys, Good Guys, and Critical Thinking

  Bad guys can convince most of a nation that they're the good guys. Happens all the time. It's why we have advertizing, and why TV ads are so powerful. They can lie straight to you and make you believe they're the most honest people on the planet.

  The only bulwark against that is critical thinking. Experiment, observation, reason. Not a preacher's authority, not what "feels right".

 And, most definitely NOT authority.

  We can get the Bush White House telling us Hussein was part of Al Quaida, and that cutting taxes on "job creators" is the route to a strong economy.


  BP can run all the ads they want about how they're helping the Gulf come back, but they're doing everything they can to not spend a penny more than they're legally obligated to unless it's in PR dollars. When they do their job right, you almost forget that the damage was due to their criminal negligence.

   The Koch brothers can hide all their ads and propaganda in shell groups, like think tanks and industry groups and PACs, but they're still trying to limit their liability in criminal activity. And stop progress in energy they don't have their hands in.

    Pat Robertson can sell you the glory of god, and tell you all the good he's doing around the world, but he's still a lying bigot lining his own pockets. The Catholic Church can tell you all about god's love, but they're absolutely no better than Robertson, and in many ways, much worse.

   It's critical thinking. Observation. Reason. The only tools to see through the fog that religion and right-wing "libertarians" shower us with purposefully.

  If you really think we need prayer in school, you've been taught to think that, by people that have something to gain if you believe it. If you think solar power and wind, and bio-fuel will never work, there's a reason you think that. And it's not reason, no matter how badly you want to convince yourselves. Hell, the Kochs are buying Universities, just to be sure they can control the content and conversation.
  
  We need people to think. We can't afford to have other people do it for us. Even if we think we're thinking for ourselves.
  


Comments

Anonymous said…
Critical thinking also involves not stereotyping any category of group in society. Everyone has their story and how they came to it. Including yourself.
Anonymous said…
I get the IP thing. I just didn't want to share my message board name here. I'll think of something else for this blog. However, this really isn't a message board, is it? So is there really a purpose for replies? I'm thinking actually not. You only really invited us to read. And there are many of those invites, I'm sure.
Unknown said…
I invite everyone to comment to their heart's content. If not, this is just public masturbation.
Anonymous said…
Okay. Good to hear that. I wss getting to feel a bit like I was being a nuisance, maybe. I wish FACTS would have as interesting for topics as here. That's why I read and comment here. I wish you would do more there, but the audience is diminishing. Maybe because of folks like me. I hope not, but why else? You would know.

Nameless for now.
Unknown said…
Well it's nice to see that someone finds some value to this experiment. I hope to keep your interest. Those are very kind words. I'll take 'em.
Unknown said…
"Critical thinking also involves not stereotyping any category of group in society. Everyone has their story and how they came to it. Including yourself."
Not sure which group I belong in. :-)
There are good guys in the religion biz. Or those trying to be. Overall, though, the basis is a lie. And lies of that magnitude are bad. Obviously, there are shades of gray in almost everything. Not in religion. Religion is harmful wherever it goes, whatever it does. I stand with Hitchens on this. Religion poisons EVERYTHING.
Anonymous said…
Okay, because I do mean them. And my opinions vary greatly, as you have probably noticed.

Unknown said…
Not to say that there are not good people trying to do the right thing in a religious framework. It's matter of trying to do the right thing for all the wrong reasons. Somewhere it will involve doing harm. It's inevitable.
Anonymous said…
Really? You are limited, aren't you? Lol No time tonight. And just remember, Hitchens is dead. Dead, dead, dead. As a door nail.
Anonymous said…
It just be nice to be so certain about everything. ;-)
Anonymous said…
Oops, that was meant to say it "must" be nice to be so certain about everything.
Anonymous said…
"The only bulwark against that is critical thinking. Experiment, observation, reason. Not a preacher's authority, not what "feels right"."

Read Harris. I think you'll see it is what "feels right". If what is moral to live by is not the most important thing, then what is? We can be really fooled by our thoughts can't we. Haven't you noticed that by now?
Unknown said…
If I remember Harris correctly (faint chance of that...) the idea is that a morally "good" position is one that brings comfort, health, well being, and happiness to more people. And morally bad is the opposite. So, yes, in a sense, what we "feel" is a part of it. But I wasn't clear. What we "feel" can be what we're programmed or taught to feel by people that have an agenda other than our well being. "Pish-posh...Don't you worry your pretty little head about THAT..." Making us "feel right" can be dangerous and harmful. I think you agree.
Unknown said…
And the fact that Hitchens is dead has a bearing on what? And why?
Anonymous said…
Well, you said you stand with him. Just a reminder, that's all. And I don't think he want folks to forget it. Do you think he cares anymore about that? Just a thought.
Unknown said…
Oh. Yeah. Ok. I stand by his statement. I had to laugh at that one. Took me a moment.

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