Then and Now

[Loricat]

I was reading last night about Kitchener, his lieutenants, and the general brouhaha of misinformation, prejudice, and lack of communication, and wondered "If they'd had the advances in communications, media, and attitudes we have today, would everything still have happened as it did?"This morning, my answer would be Yes. Today we have different prejudices and attitudes, and people are still narrow-minded and secretive, believing their own hype...and communication technology can be as advanced as it is, but it is still human beings doing the communicating.What do you folks think? "All beings are the owners of their deeds, the heirs to their deeds." Loricat's Book NookCelebrating the Absurd

[MadArchitect]

I'd almost say that the advances in communications technology have made it easier to fall into the morass of your own precoceived notions. Television, internet and the explosion in print media may have provided more access to contrary opinions and informed debate, but it has also made it easier to surround yourself with support for the opinion you've had all along, and I think a great many people are using it to that end.

[J Seabolt]

I agree with MadArchitect that the current situation with respect to internet, cable TV, cell-phones, e-mail, etc. have allowed people to enter into their own universe consisting of like-minded people. This leads to endemic polarization. When reading Fromkin's comments about the narrow-mindedness of the Cairo group and the way they tended to hear the kinds of things they wanted to hear, I was reminded of the wildly optimistic post-War scenario for Iraq that was being put forward during the 2003 invasion. Apparently that scenario was largely the product of some Iraqi exiles whispering into the ears of some influencial administration aides, and it was definitely what the Bush administration wanted to hear, so they had no problem just blocking out the objections of State Department specialists (those people just didn't get it, so why waste time debating them).

[Loricat]

Thanks, you two. Sometimes I think I sit in a friendly, optimistic world, where I've surrounded myself with people who think, who discuss...and I optimistically assume that everyone does. "All beings are the owners of their deeds, the heirs to their deeds." Loricat's Book NookCelebrating the Absurd

[MadArchitect]

Well, the important thing about remembering how easy it is to slide into lethargy and ignorance is that, when you do, you can remind yourself that, like all worthwhile things, not fooling yourself takes a lot of work. And it also reminds you to seek out and exhort other people to work at understanding the world better.

[Loricat]

Quote:not fooling yourself takes a lot of workNice point! "All beings are the owners of their deeds, the heirs to their deeds." Loricat's Book NookCelebrating the Absurd

[Loricat]

I'm fascinated by the public image vs. political reality of Churchill and Kitchener. One seen as incompetent, but in the light of history, seen as the one who really knew what was going on, and one seen as a hero, but after awhile, the inner sanctum began to recognize his incompetence.I wonder which political figures today, in that scalding clear light of hindsight, will turn out to be the real heros/incompetents? "All beings are the owners of their deeds, the heirs to their deeds." Loricat's Book NookCelebrating the Absurd