I have to say it never ceases to amaze me how people’s selective acceptance of facts based on personal desire for a particular conclusion to be met. Nowhere is this more on display than with the two-party political system. As a “truther” I have to admit, I feel a little used by these left-wingers and right-wingers. Like all the other “truthers” out there, I’m kind of tired of sniffing and digging for the facts on all these pertinent issues just to have these two political camps “cherry pick” what they want to be truth and what they want to be “conspiracy.”
Of course I’m not at all really upset about being used, but it still is quite a disturbing sight to watch this behavior of selective “truth” acceptance. What this shows is that the conclusion is more important to these folks than the facts. This is not a surprise considering both of these political camps are based on half-truths and often all-out-lies. So, when the facts do happen to fit with the political conclusion, it’s “chest thumping” time for the victors of that particular argument. They scored political points and it’s time to gloat even if the referee missed a call or the ball never really crossed the goal line to use a football analogy. If, however, the facts don’t fit the desired conclusion, well it’s time to pull the “conspiracy” card out of the deck. Both of these political factions have done this at nauseam.
For the left-wingers it’s the new-age religion of Man-Made Global Warming Theory. For Right-wingers it’s the mythology of the official 911 story. Both sides will be astute “fact-finding” hounds quick to pounce on any evidence that supports their position. No stone left unturned. No piece of evidence left unanalyzed. Of course, this is if the facts and evidence lead them to the conclusion they are seeking. When that conclusion is not supported by the facts and evidence, well, time to put away the detective gear and get out the dogma. It’s time to go from being a patriot to being a nationalist or from an independent thinker to a gatekeeper. Suddenly motivated, not by truth regardless of where it leads you, but out of desire of a spokesman doing “damage control” when your “guy” finds himself in a public relations disaster. The easiest and quickest solution for this is to deflect questions. This is no different than when the facts don’t add up to your conclusion.
“Conspiracy Theory” is a nice little label that is a quick fix for deflecting the facts. It’s this designed automatic disqualifier that is used to short circuit the argument before the data is even analyzed. Conspiracy Theory is just defined as an explanation of an event as being the result of a plot by some group often behind the scenes. It has been twisted into being used as a label to discredit any viable theory as “fantastical” or “unlikely” and to be automatically filed next to Big Foot and the Loch Ness Monster. Mind you, any event that had been planned by a group either openly or in secret is a conspiracy by definition. Otherwise, it’s coincidental. If you listen to some of these folks who use the “conspiracy card” you’d think Watergate was never possible.
Regardless of the facts that came out during Climategate, the left-wing proponents of Global Warming are going to continue to label deniers as proponents of a corporate/oil company conspiracy to undermine “their” position regardless of the fact that most oil companies and corporations support the position that they take. On the other side, the right-wing (and the left-wing to a degree too) are going to look at all the evidence of Al-Qaeda and CIA ties and chalk it up to conspiracy theory even though the connections are well documented across a wide spectrum. So facts, depending on who you present them to, will either be the “smoking-gun” or of no practical significance.
In the end, human beings have a desire to maintain a “worldview” that often outweighs the need to know the truth. This is the essence of why humans are so easily tribalised and set against each other. People are not divided on the facts, but on the lack of desire to accept facts on certain issues. It does take strength to go after the truth, regardless of where it leads you because quite often it leads you to a place you don’t want to go. People have to learn that “truth” is the light that will unite us all and “willful ignorance” is the mother of all sins. It’s one thing if you are simply not informed. It’s another to not want to be and give labels to others who are.
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snow-covered pine trees photos
horseshoe bend photos
lamp post prints
niagara falls framed prints
yellow tulip art
Of course I’m not at all really upset about being used, but it still is quite a disturbing sight to watch this behavior of selective “truth” acceptance. What this shows is that the conclusion is more important to these folks than the facts. This is not a surprise considering both of these political camps are based on half-truths and often all-out-lies. So, when the facts do happen to fit with the political conclusion, it’s “chest thumping” time for the victors of that particular argument. They scored political points and it’s time to gloat even if the referee missed a call or the ball never really crossed the goal line to use a football analogy. If, however, the facts don’t fit the desired conclusion, well it’s time to pull the “conspiracy” card out of the deck. Both of these political factions have done this at nauseam.
For the left-wingers it’s the new-age religion of Man-Made Global Warming Theory. For Right-wingers it’s the mythology of the official 911 story. Both sides will be astute “fact-finding” hounds quick to pounce on any evidence that supports their position. No stone left unturned. No piece of evidence left unanalyzed. Of course, this is if the facts and evidence lead them to the conclusion they are seeking. When that conclusion is not supported by the facts and evidence, well, time to put away the detective gear and get out the dogma. It’s time to go from being a patriot to being a nationalist or from an independent thinker to a gatekeeper. Suddenly motivated, not by truth regardless of where it leads you, but out of desire of a spokesman doing “damage control” when your “guy” finds himself in a public relations disaster. The easiest and quickest solution for this is to deflect questions. This is no different than when the facts don’t add up to your conclusion.
“Conspiracy Theory” is a nice little label that is a quick fix for deflecting the facts. It’s this designed automatic disqualifier that is used to short circuit the argument before the data is even analyzed. Conspiracy Theory is just defined as an explanation of an event as being the result of a plot by some group often behind the scenes. It has been twisted into being used as a label to discredit any viable theory as “fantastical” or “unlikely” and to be automatically filed next to Big Foot and the Loch Ness Monster. Mind you, any event that had been planned by a group either openly or in secret is a conspiracy by definition. Otherwise, it’s coincidental. If you listen to some of these folks who use the “conspiracy card” you’d think Watergate was never possible.
Regardless of the facts that came out during Climategate, the left-wing proponents of Global Warming are going to continue to label deniers as proponents of a corporate/oil company conspiracy to undermine “their” position regardless of the fact that most oil companies and corporations support the position that they take. On the other side, the right-wing (and the left-wing to a degree too) are going to look at all the evidence of Al-Qaeda and CIA ties and chalk it up to conspiracy theory even though the connections are well documented across a wide spectrum. So facts, depending on who you present them to, will either be the “smoking-gun” or of no practical significance.
In the end, human beings have a desire to maintain a “worldview” that often outweighs the need to know the truth. This is the essence of why humans are so easily tribalised and set against each other. People are not divided on the facts, but on the lack of desire to accept facts on certain issues. It does take strength to go after the truth, regardless of where it leads you because quite often it leads you to a place you don’t want to go. People have to learn that “truth” is the light that will unite us all and “willful ignorance” is the mother of all sins. It’s one thing if you are simply not informed. It’s another to not want to be and give labels to others who are.