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Guest Editorial
The Life-Long Challenge of Differentiating Between Truth, Paradigms, Truisms and Plain Lies
Friday, December 18, 2009 – by
Frank R. Suess
Frank Suess
Your paradigm is so intrinsic to your mental process that you are hardly aware of its existence, until you try to communicate with someone with a different paradigm. - Donella Meadows
Things are not always what they seem; the first appearance can be deceiving; and, matters accepted as factual realities all our life may in fact not stand the test of simple logic when questioned properly by someone with another point of view. This is a reality we all have to live with and do our best to deal with honestly and openly. It´s one of the great challenges in life. It requires a flexible mind and mindset. And at times, it requires your admitting to be wrong.
We are all molded by the information kit we are fed as we grow up and as we grow old. And, unless we actively take the effort and find the energy to question all the commonly shared "truisms", the spoon-fed "facts" of others, the things that "everyone knows" and that all take for granted, we are easy prey for those in possession of the means for mass propaganda.
As George Bernard Shaw once stated, "The moment we want to believe something, we suddenly see all the arguments for it, and become blind to the arguments against it." We are all guilty of this sort of skewed perception and complacency. It is hard work to keep asking and SECOND-GUESSING. But, it is important to keep at it all the same!
I like the term ‘second-guessing´, because, ultimately, an educated guess is all we will generally be able to achieve. This certainly applies to financial markets and investing, as it applies to life in general.
This past year, we have certainly been fed with A LOT OF PROPAGANDA worth second-guessing:
- Everyone seems to take for granted that money equals wealth...
- Most believe that central banks and governments are working feverishly to protect us all...
- A considerable part of humanity has pretty much accepted the necessity of mass vaccinations against the Swine Flu and other diseases. They appear to think that the pharmaceutical companies and their side-kicks act fully in the interest of our health...
- The media is currently full of demands for more government "protection": "We need more and stricter regulation. And regulators need to be given more power to ensure that another financial crisis is avoided." They really think that is what we need. And, they are convinced it will work...
- Another frequently heard piece of ‘wisdom´: Capitalism has failed...
- Oh yes, it is clear to most that natural, unprocessed milk is unhealthy, if not even life-threatening...
As we move toward the surely very interesting year of 2010, I would like to invite all readers to second-guess the common "wisdom" above. If you are fully committed to any of these viewpoints, I challenge you to step back and reconsider. Chances are that you are falling prey to the steady beat of that global propaganda machine.
Of course, it could be me that is on the wrong side of the story. Possibly, your Mountain Guides and Sherpas have it all wrong. Maybe, but at least we can credit ourselves with continuously probing and questioning.
This editorial originally appeared in the Mountain Vision newsletter and is provided courtesy of BFI Capital Group.
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Posted by Dave Redick on 12/18/2009 12:07:47 PM
Thanks to Mr Suess for his 'please think' comments. On the same track, my web site Forward-USA.org Home page includes the following thoughts on Independent Thinking;
"This site promotes the concept of 'Independent Thinking' as the basis for understanding the world around us (and other more local things in life). This means that you only believe and support information and ideas that make sense to you, after proper analysis, based on fact and logic.
That is the opposite of 'accepting' whatever the masses, your church, political party, or the government (etc., etc.) say is 'right' or 'true'. The words 'lemming', 'sheep', 'follower', and 'herd mentality' come to mind. 'Independent Thinking' means that you are rational and take responsibility for your life and thoughts, rather than seeking emotional security, or righteousness, in being a 'normal' submissive dupe, or 'believer' (in whatever) like most people around you.
It means no-fair labeling those who are Independent Thinkers as 'conspiracy theorists', 'kooks', or 'radicals' just because they disagree with mainstream thought, so long as they; a. Base their opinions on fact and logic, b. Are non-violent, and c. Their goals tend to restore Liberty, Honesty, Rule of Law, and the Constitution to our nation. You shouldn't think this only applies to the 'ill-informed masses'.
Many educated and successful people also reside in the security and convenience of the 'willing dupe' pit, in fact many are 'active parasites' seeking government money or special laws for personal gain. Hence our national decline of ethics, peace, and prosperity. Most people don't care much beyond their current wants and needs, but it is the future, and a broader view of national affairs, that they should be concerned about, if only for their children and future generations.
Key future issues (some in 1 to 5 years) are; a. Costly and deadly wars for Empire (not defense), b. Corruption in government, and c. Reduced living standards caused by crash of the US Dollar. Successful leaders make strong use of Independent Thinking, hopefully mixed with an ample supply of ethics. We need more of them. "
Comments?, Thanks, Dave
Reply from the Daily Bell:
Great post and sounds like a very interesting site, thanks.
Posted by Bonnie Donaldson on 12/18/2009 1:50:36 PM
Hi Independent Thinkers,
So sorry to call you Conspiracy Theorists, my bad. Although I did call myself the same when I was one of you.
As for the "Propaganda of money equaling wealth", I guess money does not concern those of us who have enough. But I can recall times in my life when money equaled wealth and that was not Propaganda, that was paying the rent and eating. Best not to tell the person digging in the dirt, trying to support his family on a dollar a day, that money is not wealth.
As for "Capitalism has failed," I know it will be unpopular to say this on this site, but my experience is that all "isms" fail... because they involve human nature, which is inherently deceptive and manipulative.
Nature made us, not me, and I do not apologize for what I am. We are all sinners and we stumble. Some try their best to be good, some think being good is a stupid concept invented by religions to enslave us.
If you are looking for a paradigm that is outside your own reality, just try talking with those who share the opposite viewpoint on goodness and its reality.
Reply from the Daily Bell:
"If you are looking for a paradigm that is outside your own reality, just try talking with those who share the opposite viewpoint on goodness and its reality."
Spouses?
Posted by Acudoc on 12/18/2009 7:48:45 PM
In my all-time favorite movie, "The Thin Red Line", the lead character Witt, the soldier-Christ-figure surrounded by the madness of the campaign for Guadalcanal, looks around at his comrades and says to himself fondly and with gravity, "Charlie Company, they're my people..."
Reading the editorials and comments on The Daily Bell and sensing a true desire to see through the mirage we are surrounded by in modern life and sensing an effort to come to grips with what is true and accurate in politics and finance--even at the expense of forgoing cherished beliefs, I get the same feeling as Witt, although the analogy breaks down with the Chirst-figure part.
The Daily Bell Editors and Readers, you're my people...
Reply from the Daily Bell:
Thanks so much for the kind words, Acudoc.
Posted by Anton Wolfe on 12/19/2009 2:59:21 AM
Great editorial Mr. Suess. Succinct and spot on!
Reply from the Daily Bell:
Thanks for the feedback.
Posted by Ferdinand A. Hoischen on 12/19/2009 10:28:59 AM
A great article again, going directly to the heart of today`s problems!
Reply from the Daily Bell:
Thanks for the feedback.
Posted by John Wiggin on 12/19/2009 12:30:34 PM
You really find the people have something to say. Billy Collins says to" hold things up to the light like a color slide, or drop a mouse into it to see how it probes it's way out. Or enter it's dark room and feel the walls for a light switch. But all they want to do is tie it to a chair and torture a confession out of it." If Billy was a scientist, laboratory mice would be a lot happier in their work.
Reply from the Daily Bell:
Thanks for the feedback.
Posted by Georgia Hamblin on 12/20/2009 10:13:51 AM
If only we had more voices of reason like this gentleman. Wouldn't it be nice if the majority of people could read his article and then apply it to their thinking reform. :^)
Reply from the Daily Bell:
He is a thoughtful man.
Post Feedback
We look forward to reading your feedback. All comments are automatically posted. However, please note that any posts containing harassment, vulgarity, personal attacks or those which are deemed to be of a violent nature are not welcomed and will either not appear or be removed.
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