free_man 0 #1 October 23, 2004 The Doors Of Perception: Why Americans Will Believe Almost Anything by Dr. Tim O'Shea We are the most conditioned, programmed beings the world has ever known. Not only are our thoughts and attitudes continually being shaped and molded; our very awareness of the whole design seems like it is being subtly and inexorably erased. The doors of our perception are carefully and precisely regulated. Who cares, right? It is an exhausting and endless task to keep explaining to people how most issues of conventional wisdom are scientifically implanted in the public consciousness by a thousand media clips per day. In an effort to save time, I would like to provide just a little background on the handling of information in this country. Once the basic principles are illustrated about how our current system of media control arose historically, the reader might be more apt to question any given story in today's news. If everybody believes something, it's probably wrong. We call that Conventional Wisdom. In America, conventional wisdom that has mass acceptance is usually contrived: somebody paid for it. Examples: * Pharmaceuticals restore health * Vaccination brings immunity * The cure for cancer is just around the corner * When a child is sick, he needs immediate antibiotics * When a child has a fever he needs Tylenol * Hospitals are safe and clean. * America has the best health care in the world. * And many many more This is a list of illusions, that have cost billions and billions to conjure up. Did you ever wonder why you never see the President speaking publicly unless he is reading? Or why most people in this country think generally the same about most of the above issues? Read here http://www.mercola.com/2001/aug/15/perception.htm Just ordered "Trust Us We're Experts", anyone read it, or Edward L. Bernays, "the Father of Spin"? “…because I hope you know this, I think you do…all governments are lying cocksuckers.” Bill Hicks, Relentless Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #2 October 23, 2004 I'd say that his basic premise is correct, that corporate america does control and spin the media as few understand (I know, I've made a living on both sides of the spin machine), but his solution, to simply not read newspapers, not listen to radio, not watch TV and cut out media altogether, is far worse. BTW, if you think this only applies to the US . . . wow . . . do I have news for you. It's far worse in many other countries.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sundevil777 102 #3 October 23, 2004 QuoteBTW, if you think this only applies to the US . . . wow . . . do I have news for you. It's far worse in many other countries No doubt! Have you known people that have tried to get specialized health care in Canada? Such care is not in great supply. So everything is free until your life is on the line, then you face the decision of spending your life savings so you can get a bypass operation, or cancer therapy/whatever in the US. Not a good bargain all around, in my opinion. I get this anecdotal info from the Canadian liberal newspapers that I read when I regularly visit on business trips. Where do you think the best doctors will want to live, where they can get paid a lot in the US, or where the gov't dictates their livelyhood, in Canada? I suppose if every country was forced to have the same system/one global government, it would be different - as in there would be a lot fewer doctors (or at least good ones!) I was damn glad that tylenol was so effective at lowering my son's fever when you take the fancy thermocouple out of their mouth and 103 is staring you right in the face! Of course giving them tylenol is not the only thing you should do, but to criticize it is whacked.People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peacefuljeffrey 0 #4 October 24, 2004 QuoteI'd say that his basic premise is correct, that corporate america does control and spin the media as few understand (I know, I've made a living on both sides of the spin machine), but his solution, to simply not read newspapers, not listen to radio, not watch TV and cut out media altogether, is far worse. BTW, if you think this only applies to the US . . . wow . . . do I have news for you. It's far worse in many other countries. That's yet another "contrived 'truth' ": that the U.S. has the worst of the fat people, the worst of the stupid people, the worst of the gullible people... as though there is no one stupid, gullible or fat in any other country. The first indication of a LIE, or a false statement, is the attempt to characterize it as universal, absolute, or over-emphatic. So immediately, the implication that this is uniquely "American" makes it suspect. What of the fact that there are tribes in African countries that believe that males with AIDS can be cured of it by having sex with a virgin?! I read about that in a newspaper article about the spread of AIDS in Africa. And does anybody think that antibiotic overuse is only American? -Jeffrey-Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
juanesky 0 #5 October 24, 2004 PJ, don't forget the PS on the message....brought to you by a TROLL"According to some of the conservatives here, it sounds like it's fine to beat your wide - as long as she had it coming." -Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kennedy 0 #6 October 24, 2004 You know what's funny? When my core temp hit 106.7 at Quantico, they never gave me any Tylenol. They dunked my sorry ass in ice water and stuck me with a tube, but no little white pills. witty subliminal message Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards. 1* Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peregrinerose 0 #7 October 25, 2004 I agree that our population is pretty lemmingish. (Not commenting on other countries, I don't know if this is a problem more or less here than anywhere else). But I do think it is in part because how we are raised from childhood. TVs are babysitters, that is how a lot of kids grow up, mindnumbingly in front of the TV, it is their reality. Then in schools, they are taught not to truly think or analyze, but to regurgitate information in the form of bubble sheets. And organized religion often teaches that their way is etched in stone truth. Doctors over the years have taught patients not to question them, doctor as god type mentality. As a result, people pop pills without truly knowing why. Kids are not taught or encouraged to be critical thinkers or question existing belief systems, so why would they do so as adults? Jen Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,452 #8 October 25, 2004 And yet as soon as you hear about programs which try to teach more critical thinking, there are protests about "why is the teacher doing anything more than teaching FACTS!!!" or complaining about new math. Often times attempts to teach critical thinking run the risk of either a. not working that well, or b. turning out kids who disagree with their parents (not that!) I'd submit that anyone who rejects ideas that come from outside their belief set as automatically wrong is probably lemming-like in their approach. As is someone who cannot accept that people unlike them in religious/social/national/cultural background can have the same basic human motivations. Wendy W.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
free_man 0 #9 October 26, 2004 Quote but his solution, to simply not read newspapers, not listen to radio, not watch TV and cut out media altogether, far worse? Not sure that this was his "solution", but why would it be far worse? Quote BTW, if you think this only applies to the US . . . wow . . . do I have news for you. It's far worse in many other countries. Of course this goes on elsewhere, but I would have to disagree that it is FAR worse in many other countries. The beauty of all the propaganda, and disception in the U.S. is that it goes on without most people knowing or understanding it. PEACE “…because I hope you know this, I think you do…all governments are lying cocksuckers.” Bill Hicks, Relentless Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
