It's surprisingly hard to describe how we pick and choose who to believe and whom to mistrust. What is true and what is not.

We see real examples of conspiracies like Watergate and the Tobacco industry FUD campaign against lung cancer. We see conspiracy hoaxes like 9/11 truthers and The CIA Killed Kennedy. We see real exposures of hard information about how corrupt and manipulative our government can be in the documents from Daniel Ellsberg, Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden. We "playfull" conspiracy theory gaming like the whole "Q" thing about child porn rings operating in the basement of pizza parlors get weaponized. We see it all that stuff get out of control.

We see real systemic, generational and cultural oppression of races and genders and orientations and expressions as "the way things are supposed to be." and have little power to do anything about it.

We see our plutocratic and governmental leaders deploying gaslight fairy tales to pacify their consumers and constituents in a desperate attempt to retain power. They use the playbook from the tobacco cases and "fear the other" to obscure the real dangers of single party rule, climate change and global pandemic.

We see the power of anecdote over statistical, and Beysian reasoning exploited over and over again. We see how an anecdote about horrific consequences in a very few tragic cases are seen as cause to avoid the cure. Thus prolonging the pandemic, allowing more virulent strains to emerge and causing even more death, loss, and pain. We see precious months and years wasted to win a few more dollars knowing full well what the consequences of delay will be.

We are asked to "do our own research". Most of us have no power of our own to do our own research. Not really. We are really just leaning on proof by assertion of authority, and perceived quality of the information we are guided to by our search engines. Those very few who are actively involved in basic research are also forced to trust the authority of those outside our own small areas of expertise.

It's no wonder that we fall back to accepting the word of those who we most align with our preconceived biases. Those who provide evidence that all is well and that the problem is really caused by that powerless minority over there. The solution is simple. Bigger walls. More freedom. Oppress the others. You do not need to worry. Just keep us in power so that we can keep you safe.

It would be funny if it was not so scary.

Your friend
Crescenda