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The article is about the USA but you raise a good point.I haven't read the article, so it may address this, but I just wanted to note that this problem isn't unique to the USA - it's a global problem. Ironically it's probably worse in liberal democracies like the US and Western Europe where the government can't/doesn't control the flow of information as tightly (of course in authoritarian regimes the governments themselves often spread misinformation). Bad actors like Musk, Thiel, and Putin have realized how easy it is to poison people's minds over the internet, and if we don't find a way to stop it, we'll all be driven back into isolationism, fear, and ultimately probably war on a large scale.
The author of this piece has come to a similar conclusion as you:I sometimes feel their entire world view is about them being afraid of the dark. Everything seems to revolve around fear and they will believe anything that assures them that they are special and that something greater than them will take care of them. They don't have to believe in natural laws, cause and effect or anything else that makes them on the level with anyone else. They're special and they know that they have a "greater" truth.
Most liberal democracies don't have a core group the size of that in the US who have such a superstitious worldview. You might be surprised if you compared quality of life and church attendance across those democracies. We are on that list despite still being so strongly influenced by religion.I haven't read the article, so it may address this, but I just wanted to note that this problem isn't unique to the USA - it's a global problem. Ironically it's probably worse in liberal democracies like the US and Western Europe where the government can't/doesn't control the flow of information as tightly (of course in authoritarian regimes the governments themselves often spread misinformation). Bad actors like Musk, Thiel, and Putin have realized how easy it is to poison people's minds over the internet, and if we don't find a way to stop it, we'll all be driven back into isolationism, fear, and ultimately probably war on a large scale.
I'm an optimist and pessimistic at the same time. I'm very wary of human beings doing the proper thing at all times. I'm very pessimistic when it comes to humans. Barbarians really. However, I am optimistic about Mother Earth. I think she will be just fine once she shakes off the fleas and leeches which are us humans. As somebody once told me (who was in A.A. at the time, I wasn't, but they were) "Everybody is on the exact road they need to be on to get to where they are going". To me, for good, bad or indifferent, that made a lot of sense. WE humans are on the EXACT road we should be on to get to where we are going - and we have been all along.
If we, as human beings, can figure out a way to blow up the planet - yet we're not smart enough to figure out a way NOT to do it, then so be it. We're simply not smart enough. Barbarians, really. Everything that's happening in the world now is simply a natural progression. WE take one step forward and 2 steps back. We are, after all, not very smart... not nearly as smart as we think we are.
If the internet, social media, misinformation, A.I. permeate the world as we know it - causing Nation States to isolate, create tariff wars (and eventually another World War - or 2 or 3 more WW's) - then that's exactly the road we need to be on to get to where we are going. Elon Musk et.al. only "thinks" he/they are smart... sure - smart enough to figure out a way to blow up the planet. But is he/they smart enough NOT to do it?
Elon is like Dr. Evil in Austin Powers. Wants to see the world taken over, held hostage for himself and his "evil" brethren... then what's he going to do - if successful in doing so? Uhm? Like any bully in the school yard, eventually, someone will come up behind him and sucker punch him. In the larger scheme it will be some rogue Nation-State with a finger on the big red nuclear button which of course will set off the "natural" domino effect, and BOOM!
I think Mother Earth will survive that. Humans? Maybe not. Would that be a bad thing? As a human being myself, I think of course, it would be a bad thing... for us. For Mother Earth? Maybe not so much.
I think those are fair points but just note that many other liberal democracies in Western Europe (UK, Germany, France, etc) are being roiled by the same sort of bad-faith, isolationist, anti-immigrant, misinformation. It may be true that much of our populace is primed to accept misinformation because of their reliance on faith and prioritization of belief over fact, but it's still having an effect elsewhere nonetheless.Most liberal democracies don't have a core group the size of that in the US who have such a superstitious worldview. You might be surprised if you compared quality of life and church attendance across those democracies. We are on that list despite still being so strongly influenced by religion.
You shouldn't be surprised that a number of things where we fall short are because of interference in national affairs by conservatives and their "moral" outlooks..
Case in point on the political side — this guy was a high ranking general
European nationalism is pretty ugly. Otoh, unlike the US barring native Americans, they do have a history of homelands that have existed for centuries. There are betrayals, grudges and the like that go back before most of the world even knew of the Mew World. Doesn't make it right or desirable but the grievances are slightly more than "I stole it first and I don't want to share."I think those are fair points but just note that many other liberal democracies in Western Europe (UK, Germany, France, etc) are being roiled by the same sort of bad-faith, isolationist, anti-immigrant, misinformation. It may be true that much of our populace is primed to accept misinformation because of their reliance on faith and prioritization of belief over fact, but it's still having an effect elsewhere nonetheless.
I don't remember where it was from, but I read an article several years ago that did actual brain scans based on party affiliation. I can't remember the specific details, but they did find that in people who tended to vote GOP their brains had sections larger or more prone to fear responses.I sometimes feel their entire world view is about them being afraid of the dark. Everything seems to revolve around fear and they will believe anything that assures them that they are special and that something greater than them will take care of them. They don't have to believe in natural laws, cause and effect or anything else that makes them on the level with anyone else. They're special and they know that they have a "greater" truth.
We're more akin to a virus since we currently need our host to surviveEarth doesn't care about humans. There's already been five massive extinctions where most forms of life was destroyed. What remained kept going. Let's be clear. Mother Earth doesn't need saving. It's humans that need saving. As best as I can tell, we're a pervasive and pernicious skin infection for her.
Agree. I’m thinking we’re more like fleas and ticks - which of course can cause skin irritation and possible infection.Earth doesn't care about humans. There's already been five massive extinctions where most forms of life was destroyed. What remained kept going. Let's be clear. Mother Earth doesn't need saving. It's humans that need saving. As best as I can tell, we're a pervasive and pernicious skin infection for her.