Waves of excited chatter, catching us up, whirling us around, turning us upside down.
In critical thinking it is important to suspend judgement, research information and look at several points of view. Identify various possible conclusions and then decide which (if any) are sufficiently supported.
Suspending judgement, thinking, is not encouraged in this ever increasing instant world we live in. Pressing pause on the chaotic orchestrated chatter we are bombarded with is considered heresy. We are expected to drink from the fire hose of mass public opinion, without pausing to take a breath, as we are being programmed to make instant decisions founded on mass appeal.
Centuries of print technology pushing the importance of “public opinion” laid the ground work for electronic technology pushing the importance of “mass” which ushered in social networks pushing the importance of “mass public opinion “.
Smoke and mirrors, slight of hand, distractions; getting us to look in one direction while what’s really important is happening where we aren’t looking. Truth is difficult to find masked by half-truths and blatant misrepresentations designed to appeal to our base flesh desires.
Press play, swipe this way, swipe that way, click like, share, subscribe, get skinny, get rich, save the world, click, click, click. But don’t press pause.
The death of mass social herding can be accomplished if we simply exercise our ability to think for ourselves.
Press “off”.
E.A. Fussell
O3.01.2022
E. A. Fussell 