Saturday, December 8, 2018

WHY DO WE SWALLOW SUCH OBVIOUS LIES?

     Recently the Canadian government gave fifty million dollars to a charity that promotes education for African girls. Government budgets are made up with a line for international aid. Throughout the year this aid is distributed. In July the government allotted the money 

    Recently the Prime minister announced a donation to the charity at one of their major fund raisers. This was meant  as promotion of the charity fundraiser.

    The opposition in this country twisted the story to make it sound as if the prime minister on his own whim decided to donate the fifty million as if it was his own money.

   Talk about a cockeyed story. 

    So the other day at skating while I was sitting on the bench ( I sit on the bench a lot these days) I heard my 3 buddies discussing this issue. They were in full throated roar. The prime minister was an indescribable monster. They had some lovely descriptions for the man.

    These three guys should know much better. They all have education beyond high school They had to use their education everyday in their work. In other words they took information and made judgments on the evidence.

    One was a teacher, another and administrator and a policeman. I would hope that the teacher taught his students about making judgments.

    I can see that someone may think that spending money on external aid is not a policy they would agree with and that they would be able to support their point. Why would anybody not want to help with the education of African girls? 

   Evidence and fact had blown away like desert sand. 

   Why can't we look at issues or news reports and make judgments as to the validity of the information? Have we lost some marbles? 

35 comments:

  1. There is much deliberate misinformation about what the Prime Minister and the GOC are doing that it makes me sick. In another case about the UN policy on migration and refugees the former Minister of Immigration under the PM Harper leadership came out and denounced the misinformation about our current government. I never thought I would see this day in Canada where so much misinformation goes around. I guess it is happening everywhere but shame on those with an education who just hit the send button to promote misinformation or discuss with their friends when they don't even bother to check facts. I have a few friends who are sending around misinformation. They don't seem to care about the truth.

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    1. It's very disheartening when people send information that is blatantly false.

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    2. Hi Red, You and Joyful are both right!

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  2. BTW, you are right that every Canadian government no matter what political party it is headed by has a line item for charitable works abroad which they distribute throughout the year. It isn't new and has been going on for a long time because Canada is a good global citizen and I hope we remain that way.

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    1. There are many very simple procedures that people are not aware of.

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  3. Why? Because engaging the mouth is easier than engaging the brain - and no one is going to fire them for it! It can get pretty lonely, too, being the only thinker in a group of talkers.

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    1. You're right that people are hesitant to speak up and call somebody on the false information they are accepting.

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  4. It's strange how reason often leaves otherwise sane and sensible people.

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    1. Reason leaves and then they get on personal attacks. Again they don't look at the issues.

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  5. Hello, the misinformation and lies seems to be happening everywhere now. It is sad when people will believe the lies and will not listen to reason or the truth. Helping the African children is a great charity, I am sure they appreciate the aid and help. Enjoy your day, have a great new week ahead.

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    1. Somehow we have to turn this thing around so that truth is the issue rather than painting people in a very evil way.

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  6. I am really tired of stupid people who won't do any critical thinking!! I have a couple of friends who post the worst garbage on their Facebook pages... just nonsense passed around from person to person, factually incorrect. It seems like most people are too lazy to figure out the truth.

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    1. A lot of it is very obviously false. Why can't they have the courage to see the truth?

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  7. Sometimes I think people just enjoy griping. So they don't look very hard into the facts. Glad you were there to educate them. Funny, Paul just did a similar thing at the Wayne Street Men's Mailbox Meeting. (Whenever I can't find him for awhile, I know the men on our street have called a meeting at the mailbox to discuss the news!).

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    1. We have to be careful in "educating" some of these people as they know the way to keep on twisting things. They keep on bringing up more garbage to justify things.

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  8. I heard about this story and was very surprised to see people I know posting their anger about the 'twisted' story on Facebook. It boggles the mind how people don't take the time to do their own research and find out what it's really all about instead of listening to politicians and their personal version, which is just a way to create division. Have we been really dumbed down to this level?

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    1. Politicians have been very skillful in getting us to allow they're twisting of the truth.

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  9. It amazes me to see what has happened to "news" these days. The political efforts behind news stories here is mind-blowing.

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    1. I don't watch TV so I miss the repetitive sensationalism.

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  10. That is a good question. I always research it first, if I comment or write about an issue. There is so much people take for granted, that anything published is to be trusted. I simply cannot.
    Great post.

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    1. Somehow we have to start holding politicians and news people to account. They must not be allowed to pass on lies without paying the price.

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  11. I consider myself a Red Tory. But that doesn't exist anymore in the Conservative party, federally or at provincial levels. It got hijacked by Reform types for whom politics are about hyperpartisan games in which your opponents must be destroyed.

    I am now a Liberal voter by default.

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    1. There were some very skillful moves to destroy the conservative party. The same thing went on in Alberta recently.

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    2. Provincially speaking, the fact that the Ontario Tories let Doug Ford waltz in- despite four years of his proving himself unfit for any office as a city councilor- and turn their party into his personality cult is unforgivable. They could put a gun to my head, and I would still never vote for them again.

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  12. I know I shouldn't feel this way, but I'm glad to know that the US is not alone in news misinformation. But I agree with you: why are people so quick to condemn?

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    1. We have people who are very skillful at twisting the truth.

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  13. Many of us are too ready to think the worst and that all people cheat. I remember when the Clinton's were given dining room furniture by close friends when they entered the White House. They thought they could take it with them, but Congress and others made sure that they understood this was a gift to the American people and NOT them. I clearly saw this as somewhat confusing but when Republicans began arguing that she was stealing stuff from the White House I realize their followers had lost all critical thinking skills.

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    1. Winning at any cost has taken over their brains.

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    2. Hillary has many secrets in her closet and computer. Strange how she wasn't convicted from deleting 30,000 emails. Now there is a man (can't remember name) for failing to provide 2 emails out of tens of thousands. Mueller threatened to send him to prison.

      We live in a truth is a lie and lies are the truth world.

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  14. I work hard to weed out misinformation, and to detect overreactions. Goodness knows we here in the US have plenty to overreact to! It gets more difficult all of the time to make clear judgments. Common sense seems to have taken a holiday.

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    1. There are enough people who dislike the present situation and it's only a matter of time before options change and liars lose.

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  15. It's mind boggling at times. I read as much as I can about our own politics, and it's interesting learning about yours by these first hand observations. Thanks Red!

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  16. In the era of Trump, truth is immaterial. People can create new truths that in the past would have simply been called lies.

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  17. How many things can get misled. i am supporting the Heifer project

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  18. People like to twist the news to fit their agendas. It seems like everyone is doing it. Fake news is a hot topic. If you doubt a story, check to see if it authentic, it's not that complicated. Poeple just tend to believe anything these days. Sad!

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