Who can we trust these days? It seems as if our culture has become so cynical and jaded, those in the public eye are constantly suspect. Seemingly, we don’t know who is telling the truth. The truth can be found, but it takes a lot of time and those sound bites on the evening news are so much more convenient for mass consumption. Why bother with the truth? Simply find the viewpoint that reinforces our preconceived notions.
There is definitely a movement in our country that seeks to prey on those who are uncertain. They merely offer those individuals an easy out. Defying logic and preying on the cultural dissonance that is rampant amongst our populous, the movers and shakers have managed to motivate and mobilize a ground swell of support from the very people their popular political policy works in diametric opposition of.
Southern politicians like Theodore Bilbo and Huey P. Long innovated mobilizing a dejected populous with racist rhetoric and outlandish propositions, but every speech was steeped in Christianity and preserving white heritage, seemingly benign speech on the surface, but reprehensible at its center. Fast forward to today, and if Bilbo and Long were still alive, they would find a happy home in many of today’s political circles. Politicians don’t need any logical arguments, just feet dragging and impassioned pleas to religion or a return to some idyllic time of plenary prosperity.
In a time when we need clear, resounding ideas what we get is little better than equine feces. At least equine feces will quit stinking after a while.
Rather than a true marketplace of ideas, we have a Walmart of ideas — pre-packaged, sitting on a shelf to be gobbled up by unwitting consumers. Like a frozen pizza, for example, current political ideas look good from the outside, but are ridden with ambiguous ingredients with uncertain origins. However, it looks so damn good and we just eat it up, and we know it’s not good for us, but its familiarity makes us feel good.
Political factions have gotten very adept at saying things enough they eventually become some sort of accepted truth. The ringleaders don’t care if what comes out of their media mouthpieces is truth or lies, they get paid the same either way. The only losers are average people along with truth and logic.
Many of the most fervent supporters of political demigods can offer no real basis for their political convictions. It’s because most have not subjected those beliefs to any scrutiny. Instead, those people look for the most appealing viewpoint that reinforces already existing beliefs, which is called illusion of truth effect. Simply put, individuals tend to believe that which is familiar over that which is unfamiliar. Either consciously or unconsciously, people get scared from the uncertainty of entertaining two conflicting ideas.
The media and political factions pander to that uncertainty. By doing so, half the battle of winning over a new constituent is won. After some confirmation bias, simply make incredulous claims about opposing ideas or groups, and the job is done.
However, the antidote to this is very simple: critical thinking of examining an idea or position from multiple perspectives and arriving at a logical conclusion. Most political pleas don’t stand up to the process and many points become moot. Moot ideas do not make for good TV or headlines.
As long as unsuspecting constituents think they are on the side of right, they will never question the ideology of a belief system, which also means they will never suspect what they believe may not be in their best interests. This is how you rule, not govern, a populous.
 
David Breland is the life editor for The Reflector. He can be contacted at [email protected].