On Wed, Nov 6, 2024 at 8:59 AM PGC <[email protected]> wrote:
*If you read Mr. Lozada's article again I think you'll find he's saying pretty much what you are saying, he's just using different words. And I agree with both of you. * *John K Clark See what's on my new list at Extropolis <https://groups.google.com/g/extropolis>* *1ab* The article’s implicit assumption that some sort of "normal sanity" > governed human affairs before Trump oversimplifies history, downplays the > recurring cycles of ideological bias, and overlooks the perennial allure of > comforting delusions over inconvenient truths. The belief in a clear > boundary between “normal” and “abnormal” political forces rests on a form > of self-flattering nostalgia—a yearning for an era when rationality and > consensus allegedly reigned. But if history has taught us anything, it’s > that every era carries its own bs biases, with prevailing narratives shaped > less by a commitment to approach unvarnished truths and more by what is > palatable to the cultural majority. > > The article implies that Trump represents a rupture with a saner past, yet > throughout history, biases toward authority, ideological echo chambers, and > appealing lies have often outweighed rigorous, ideology-free inquiry. Every > culture has its blind spots, its rhetorical reflexes, and its tendency to > elevate arguments from authority, "common sense," or tradition over > challenging truths. Even in times that might appear more “rational,” > comfort-driven conformity has played a substantial role in cultural > self-definition. > > Instead of treating Trump’s rise as a stark break from some bygone > rationalism, a more useful critique would acknowledge that he embodies a > longstanding tendency; the genuine status quo. Trump's appeal taps into > this historical penchant for emotionally fueled simplifications and > authority-driven validation, rather than defying it. If his presidency > serves as a mirror, it reflects the biases that have shaped not only the > U.S. but countless societies—a collective tendency to prefer narratives > that soothe and validate over those that demand critical reflection. > > The more pertinent question is whether society can - at least sometimes - > counterbalance this trend by fostering environments where scientific > inquiry and genuine self-reflection are prioritized, not obstructed by > ideological agendas. This approach would focus on reducing the influence of > “appealing lies” and creating conditions that encourage resilience against > authoritarian reflexes and self-affirming delusions. Without such efforts, > Trumpism—or something like it—will likely remain a recurring fixture, part > of a long pattern of cultures leaning into narratives that prioritize > emotional comfort over substantive critique. > > On Wednesday, November 6, 2024 at 1:28:22 PM UTC+1 John Clark wrote: > >> Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for >> free without a subscription. >> >> Stop Pretending Trump Is Not Who We Are >> >> If we haven’t learned our lesson now, when will we learn it? >> >> >> https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/06/opinion/trump-wins-harris-loses.html?unlocked_article_code=1.X04.UuhN.7i7ig43sa-VO&smid=em-share >> > -- > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything List" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/everything-list/CAJPayv2Y0N%2Bcjo1PN-GK%2BuSt%2Bibc8ct6OkXOR9Okb%2Bytd3O6wg%40mail.gmail.com.
