Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).
How to Debunk:
1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.
2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.
3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.
4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.
5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.
"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.
"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."
"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."
Sander van der Linden Social Psychologist University of Cambridge
Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021
Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.
In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk." Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.
I know that I am not happy with the current state of political discourse in the United States.
I know that race, immigration, issues revolving around the origins of life and the role of women in society each have points that reasonable people can disagree upon.
I know that climate change is real.
I know that the United States has a Constitution to abide by.
I know bullshit when I hear it.
I know my limitations and my strengths.
I know that Americans can disagree without being disagreeable.
I know that authoritarian-run governments don’t like democracy and have infiltrated into the bowels of American institutions of government.
I know that I don’t want to spend one second having my life being ruled from Moscow.
I know that people are inherently good.
I know that good people are capable of doing bad things.
I know that people can change.
I know that Democracy is better than any alternative.
I know that their is plenty of hypocrisy to go around.
I know that the only place for chaos is in nature (entropy).
Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).
How to Debunk:
1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.
2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.
3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.
4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.
5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.
"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.
"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."
"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."
Sander van der Linden Social Psychologist University of Cambridge
Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021
Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.
In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk." Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.
Recently I wrote in this space about my experiences in Punta Colonet, a small community in the northern Baja Peninsula of Mexico. It was really about “love made visible” as my church likes to say.
Love is love. You know love when you see it, feel it, experience it. This form of love is the stuff that is the win-win-win kind of love that benefits everyone. It is symbiotic and increases exponentially. Small amounts of it get magnified in ways that we are incapable of understanding yet are linked to by its everlasting power.
Love is the reason for living. Love and the ability of our species to spread it is why our individual impact on the world is important. Each one, teach one. Or each one teach 10 or 20 or 100 or 1000 or a Billion. The power of love is tangible and real. There is nothing about it that can be faked.
The Christian Bible says in Corinthians 13:4–8a (ESV) “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.”
The central tenets of this statement are the blood cells of my blood, the carriers of the oxygen that gives me life, the stuff that guides my thoughts, that formulate my beliefs, that fuel my actions. It is the reason for my passionate beliefs about my fellow human beings, about individual liberty and freedom and the pursuit of values and actions that spread love.
Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).
How to Debunk:
1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.
2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.
3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.
4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.
5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.
"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.
"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."
"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."
Sander van der Linden Social Psychologist University of Cambridge
Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021
Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.
In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk." Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.
Anyway, read this article to any degree of detail that you like, but at least consider this before reading my thoughts on Iceland. …”modern liberals hold that the point of government is to remove obstacles that stand in the way of individual freedom.”
My brain is constantly looking at connections between people, ideas, events and places and time. So, here I am again going where my average brain takes me. Again, humor me. That is if I haven’t already scared you off!
On to the most intriguing place that I have ever had the opportunity to visit. Iceland.
Quick Facts:
OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Iceland. FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Constitutional republic. CAPITAL: Reykjavík. POPULATION: 317,000. OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Icelandic (Others include: English, Nordic languages, German) MONEY: Icelandic króna. AREA: 39,769 square miles (103,001 square kilometers)
Fun Facts:
You can find five, 10, 18, 100 fun facts about Iceland. Here are a few of them: _______________________________
Iceland has no mosquitos (can you guess why?). You can have 23 hours of darkness or 23 hours of sunlight (depending on the season).
It is loaded with Viking history and stories (sagas).
Iceland is constantly growing (It sits on top of an open crack in the Earth's crust)
Iceland and St. Louis, MO have about the same number of people.
Prohibition ended in 1989. Some Icelanders celebrate Beer Day on March 1.
Many Icelanders believe in the "hidden people" (Trolls and Elves)
Very strict gun policy. The Police do not carry guns except for a special force called the Viking Squad. Approximately 90,000 people own guns, but they are primarily used for hunting and sport.
Icelanders enjoy a good quality of life even though they work the longest of any country in Europe (43-44 hours per week).
It's southern-most point is the youngest place on Earth (Surtsey Island was born from 1963-67).
11% of Iceland is covered by ice. Story has it that the Vikings named the relatively hospitable island "Iceland" to discourage anyone else from coming here.
Psst: There are lots of other fun facts (do an Internet search using "fun facts of Iceland."
I visited Iceland for the first time from May 10-20 and came away with the feeling that this Nordic people, decendants of the Vikings, are my people. I was initially drawn here by the natural history of this island country in the northern North Atlantic ocean.
But what has bonded me to this place is the Scandinavian roots of it’s population. They are independent, egalitarian, enterprising, compassionate, creative, hard working, fun loving and, for the most part, liberally happy people.
They eat lots of cod (baked, smoked, steamed, fried, raw…) and to help it go down, they might indulge in the Icelandic delicacy of fermented shark meat. This vegetarian was the only person in our Road Scholar group that would admit to liking it. It is supposed to have probiotic qualities. I can’t confirm or deny it, but I was able to eat a good amount of seafood and not pay the price for it.
These people have a long and rich literary tradition that goes back as far back as the 13th Century when the early Viking stories of Iceland were finally written down in the form of Sagas which have a style all there own. My own interest in the written language may very well have its roots in my Swedish blood.
Traveling around the country mostly by motor coach one can see in the stark volcanic landscape the very essence of the Icelander. Nearly 2/3 of the population live in and around the capital city of Reykjavik (Smoking Harbor/vik means harbor). The rest of the population is scattered around the island in small towns and an occasional large town.
The place generates lots of electricity. About 30% of it comes from magma heated water (geothermal) and 70% comes from running water (hydroelectric). It generates so much surplus electricity that Australia operates two Aluminum processing plants in Iceland. Yes, they ship the ore rock Bauxite all the way from Australia to Iceland to take advantage of the cheap and plentiful electricity. Aluminum processing requires very large amounts of electricity.
Iceland’s golden age of freedom and independence was the 9th and 10th centuries. The old parliament called the Alpingi was formed in 930 and in 1000 Christianity was adopted as the official state religion.
The golden age didn’t last long as warring chieftains gave in to Norwegian rule. The Norwegians gave way to the Danes who ruled Iceland from mid-13th Century to the mid-20th Century. Iceland became a sovereign state in 1918 and independent republic in 1944. It was one of the few European countries to have actually benefitted from World War Two. They gained independence and received substantial Marshall Plan Aid money. The current international airport in Keflavik was built by the American military and the domestic airport in Reykjavik was built by the British military. At one point there were 50,000 American soldiers on an island with about 120,000 Icelanders!
Economically speaking, Iceland started the 21st Century with a robust period of economic growth and prosperity. Iceland was hit hard by the global recession of 2008 in which all of the main banks collapsed. This “Crash” resulted in declining living standards and a period of “psychological shock” for the people. Bu things are looking up for Iceland thanks in large part to an increase in tourism.
So, as I reflect on this first visit to Iceland, I reflect with a sense of individual pride. The liberal traditions that Icelanders carry on from their Viking forebearers also lives on in me. I don’t think that it is any accident that the history of this island nation lives on in me as well.
Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).
How to Debunk:
1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.
2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.
3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.
4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.
5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.
"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.
"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."
"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."
Sander van der Linden Social Psychologist University of Cambridge
Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021
Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.
In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk." Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.
Love feels good. Really good.
Especially when you are sharing the feeling with others. I can’t really describe the feeling to you, but I’m guessing that you have experienced the feeling at least one time in your illustrious life and likely many more times than one.
I experienced the feeling pretty much continuously during the week of April 8 as part of a trip with the Los Gatos United Methodist Church to the small town of Punta Colonet which is 150 miles south of San Diego on the Baja Peninsula.
I was there with 15 others to work on two service projects in Colonet. One of the projects was to build a modest home for a family identified by a local pastor. The second project was to install solar lighting systems in several residences to promote literacy in the community.
This trip, this experience and this feeling. came along at a really good time. It’s so easy to get to tied into knots over partisan politics and get sucked into the gloom and doom scenarios emanating from around the political spectrum. Experiences like this bring me back to the world of humanity, love and compassion. I almost forgot hope. Without hope its hard to see the other three.
I’m not saying ignore politics. The upcoming American elections are indeed very important. Stay involved in the way that works for you. But remember to seek out experiences with people. People and our relationships help to keep us human. Stay in touch with people you know and reach out and grasp new experiences.
I’m thankful for my friend and neighbor Pete for inviting me to a part of the 2024 Colonet team. I’ve met people that I would be proud to call my friends and would be honored to work with again.
Lastly, to Jacinto, Monica and AbriI, I wish you all the good and best things that life has to offer as you settle into your new home.
Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).
How to Debunk:
1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.
2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.
3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.
4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.
5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.
"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.
"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."
"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."
Sander van der Linden
Social Psychologist
University of Cambridge
Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021
Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.
In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk." Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.
Braver Angels is working to bring Americans of different generations and beliefs together by engaging them in meaningful and sincere conversations together. I donate money to Braver Angels, but I am also currently engaged in a cross generational conversation in an effort to see the world through the lens of someone with different experiences from my own.
I chose to engage in a cross generational conversation because I wanted to work on myself and my ability to step back from my beliefs and listen to someone else. Listen without trying to correct or convince is a vital skill that is needed to put the “United” back in the United States of America.
One of the foundational ideas of Braver Angels is Intellectual Humility. It’s purpose is to remind each of us that as intelligent and gifted as each of us is, our personal perspective is another one of billions of intelligent and gifted opinions about the world and how it works. The idea is a simple one. Open yourself up to the thoughts and feelings of others while not abandoning or over emphasizing your own thoughts.
Conversations are based on the principle of what I will refer to as “Deep Listening.” One person shares while the other person listens. The use of “I” statements while avoiding “You” statements is a cornerstone part of the Braver Angels way of doing things.
Braver Angels may or may not be for you, but the courage of it’s founders and members to reach out in an effort to fix what is broken is not only admirable, but vital. There are other organizations doing similar work and I urge you to seek them out in an effort to open your head to different intellectual thinking. In the process, you will most likely also open your heart. That is what is happening to me in the early stages of my ongoing conversation with a young person from Central Georgia.
Just the simple act of reaching out and making yourself vulnerable is an attitude and life changing experience.
Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).
How to Debunk:
1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.
2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.
3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.
4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.
5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.
"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.
"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."
"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."
Sander van der Linden
Social Psychologist
University of Cambridge
Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021
Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.
In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk." Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.
The title to Journey’s song “Don’t Stop Believin'” resonates with me. The lyrics are fine, but the title and the tune are stuck in my head. An ear worm that, to it’s credit helps to cover the tinitus buzzing in my head.
It also helps to keep positive thought and feelings guiding me through each day. A few weeks ago, a member of our church, former judge and tireless advocate for changes in the way juvenile offenders are treated by the state California, spoke to our congregation about her current work to change policy at the state level. She also shared her book of affirmations that she wrote during COVID. The book was written for kids, but I am finding the daily messages a balm to soothe my soul.
I am so thankful for my church and for the people and messages that fill me with positivity and solutions to real issues facing us. After reading and hearing about House Speaker Mike Johnson’s “dead on arrival” line regarding Bi-partisan Senate legislation aimed at getting aid packages to Ukraine and Israel along with dealing with issues at the border with Mexico, I let out a blood curding rant in response that fortunately no one else in this house could hear, except maybe the neighbors (I hope not because it wasn’t a proud moment). It also couldn’t have done my tinitus any good.
Fortunately, I almost immediately reached for the book of affirmations and read today’s message: “I share things with others. Sharing my things with another makes me feel happy inside my heart. I enjoy how sharing allows me to do my part. Sharing isa way to express love and kindness. My life is full of ways to make life visible.”
I started breathing deeply again and began to feel calmness return. I got on the computer and made small donations to two voting rights organizations. Every Monday, I choose two organizations or candidates and give them a small monetary donation. The affirmation reminded me that the best thing that I can do each day is to share goodness with others. It feels so good. I can’t tell you the sense of peace that came over me when I made those donations.
Don’t stop believing that this world is a good place. It has its problems, but it is made up of good places and good people. It is not the irretrievable mess that some would have you believe. After all, you are a part of it and you are good people. Keep spreading goodness and kindness, especially when you experience the opposite. It is the balm “that heals the sin sick soul.”
Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).
How to Debunk:
1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.
2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.
3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.
4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.
5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.
"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.
"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."
"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."
Sander van der Linden
Social Psychologist
University of Cambridge
Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021
Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.
In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk." Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.
Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).
How to Debunk:
1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.
2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.
3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.
4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.
5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.
"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.
"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."
"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."
Sander van der Linden
Social Psychologist
University of Cambridge
Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021
Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.
In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk." Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.
I want to say that I’ve been right all along. I probably have been, but it would be far too arrogant for a retired middle school science teacher to say that about anything, let alone politics in the U.S of A. in the early part of the 21st Century.
Maybe it would be better to say that it isn’t arrogant to speak your opinion (or write them as I prefer to do), but it would be arrogant to think that anyone was actually following me or, pray God, listening to me or, shockingly, agreeing with me. Now that is the epitome of arrogance. I don’t entertain any fantasy that I should be taken seriously.
I’m a big picture thinker. I often hesitate to write on specific topics because I just don’t know enough about virtually anything in order to have an opinion on anything. Thank God that there are people that I can read or listen to that actually know something that I can have an opinion on. Because I’m simply not going to take the time to dwelve deeply enough into anything, even singing, that would be worth taking the time to read in order to learn something.
I’m the antithesis of author and all-arround interesting dude, Bill Bryson. Bryson’s book “A Brief History of Just About Everything” shows that one person can accumulate (or convince you that he has accumulated) enough knowledge to write a self proclaimed history of everything. Even though he addresses an amazing variety of topics with an equally amazing amount of lucidity, Bryson is really taking a poke at himself in this book. That’s what makes it so much fun. When you’re not thinking “oh, I didn’t know that, that’s cool, you’ll most likely be laughing because Bryson has a great sense of humor and a much larger than average way of communicating that humor to make things funny.
It’s ok to laugh. In fact, you better spend more time laughing because it’s good for you. Just ask the Mayo Clinic as I did. In fact, googling for information is my second most effective method of information gathering. It is second only to listening to my wife read or summarize news stories from the New York Times or the Washington Post.
No, no, don’t stop laughing! Just because I read those left wing rags, they don’t make me dull, boring and unlikable. Us liberals really do have a sense of humor. Mine has taken a few hits since June 16, 2015 (and somewhat before that but 2015 is my standard and I’m sticking with it). I have to laugh at anything and everything that I can given that so much of what is going on makes you want to cry instead of laugh.
Because I intend to continue laughing beyond November 5, 2024, I’m going to seek out things that make me laugh and smile while working my ass off to make sure that all of us Americans have something to smile and laugh about come November 6, 2024 and January 20, 2025.
Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).
How to Debunk:
1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.
2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.
3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.
4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.
5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.
"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.
"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."
"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."
Sander van der Linden
Social Psychologist
University of Cambridge
Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021
Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.
During the throes of the great Depression of the 1930’s with the world economy in a shambles emerges a story as unlikely as it is inspirational and encouraging for the future of democracy.
It was an Olympic year and, as fate would have it, Germany was hosting the 1936 Summer Olympics. Adolf Hitler’s white supremacy and anti-Semitism were ramping up in Germany against the backdrop of a world mired in a great economic downturn. Back in the United States a story was unfolding that involved the sport of Rowing, a sport with a limited following and a reputation of being for elite kids.
In preparation for the Games, Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi chief propagandist for Hitler, carefully white-washed any outward signs of the blatant anti-Semitic Nazi regime and programmed the German people on how they should behave while the world was focused on Berlin and Germany. The world would not see Germany for what it was truly becoming. The world would see the perfectly normal, well adjusted and prosperous society that Hitler wanted to portray to the world.
The real story of “Boys in the Boat” is about nine boys from the state of Washington who came together to crew an eight person boat (the ninth person being the guy who called out the strokes per minute, known as the Coxswain). These young Americans were the sons of fishermen, loggers, shipyard workers and farmers. They were all students at the University of Washington in Seattle struggling to make their way through school. All of them were far from being considered elite.
On the other side of the world, Hitler was billing his German athletes as the best in the world. Superior to the athletes from other countries because they were pure blood Aryans. Hitler was using the 1936 Olympics to make his case for White Supremacy. He wanted to make a strong statement about the superiority of the Germanic race. Hitler wanted to demonstrate the eliteness of the German people.
The German boat was good, but the British were seen as the boat to beat. The Brits eight man boat was made up of students from Oxford and Cambridge, two of the most elite universities in Great Britain.
So, the stage was set for the athletic proxy battle between Fascist Germany and Democratic United States. I won’t give away the results, but suffice it to say that this is a feel good story and one that Americans should be reading and or seeing right now. I have read the book. The movie is good, see it when you can. The book is better and is worth the read.
Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).
How to Debunk:
1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.
2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.
3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.
4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.
5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.
"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.
"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."
"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."
Sander van der Linden
Social Psychologist
University of Cambridge
Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021
Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.
Wherever you see text underlined, you will find links to supplemental materials that I recommend for reading or listening.
Just in case you hadn’t noticed, I am quite strident in my opinions about MAGA, Donald Trump and Facism. That has not and will not change under any circumstances. I will continue to contribute where I can to making sure Trump is not reelected to his previous elected office (calling the office by it’s name and putting Trump in the same sentence is just not something I want to do. It doesn’t do justice to the office).
The denizens of disinformation provide the vilest, divisive, hateful speech since Joseph Goebbels did it for Hitler in the 1930s and 40s.
But, New York Times Columnist David Brooks has provided me with a new and positive way to approach conversations on difficult topics with people that disagree with me. I can’t do much about those “denizens of disinformation” (mostly, but not entirely, from the political far right) that has being foisted on the American people over the past eight years since Trump was imposed on us in 2016, but I can do something about how I approach individuals on a one-to-one personal, real world, mano-a-mano context.
The place where I learned about this book was on a podcast called “A Braver Way” produced by a group called “Braver Angels.” In this episode of “A Braver Way,” Brooks is interviewed by Monica Guzman. If you have about a half hour to spare, listen to this discussion between two people that we could stand to listed to in these difficult times about how to be with each other.
Some things I learned about from them are USA Facts, informal helping, being an “illuminator” instead of a “diminisher,” being a LOUDListener, approaching people with your heart instead of your head and to avoid labels because “labels make you invisible.”
May we all go into the New Year by leading with our hearts.
Peace and have a wonderful holiday season and opening of 2024,
