From Wikipedia:
cognitive dissonance is an uncomfortable feeling or
stress caused by holding two contradictory ideas simultaneously. The theory of cognitive dissonance proposes that people have a fundamental cognitive drive to reduce this dissonance by modifying an existing belief, or rejecting one of the contradictory ideas. Prevention of cognitive dissonance may also contribute to
confirmation bias or
denial of discomforting evidence.
I submit that "denial of discomforting evidence" can also include denial of reality. When we're faced with facts that are contrary to our beliefs, many of us will deny those facts if they're outside our comfort zones. God forbid we should be uncomfortable even if it means turning a blind eye to the truth.
Which brings me to politics. I used to get all fired-up over politics, but now see no point in it. This is because I recognize that here in the US the political system is rigged. The level of corruption is such that I feel one is wasting one's energy to even be involved. That may change, however, as the world changes.
Now we have the Obama-O-Rama. To me it seems like more of the same, designed to draw in the discontented and make them feel as though there’s real change on the horizon, when really there isn’t. Same old same old, folks, don’t you get it? Maybe this is what’s needed, though, to convince an awakening populace that the whole system is corrupt from top to bottom. The candidates who supported the interests of the people, rather than the special interests, are the ones most marginalized by the corporate-controlled news media. Once again the powers that be have pushed their own hand-picked people on the public, and the MSM made it appear that a democratic process is actually taking place.
Not hardly.
Some folks are going to label me a conspiracy theorist for expressing that view. I urge them to put their fears and prejudices aside and take a cold and objective look around. Is the media reporting the news? Are they asking hard questions? Is covering the lives and times of celebrities in some way reporting on the issues, the real issues that affect our lives? Watch the body language of the people delivering the news. See the timing of the smiles, the raised eyebrows and the sneers. Are they reporting or are they helping you to form an opinion? Can you form your own opinions? Watch the news from Europe. It’s not reported this way. The manipulation is so obvious it would be hard to classify it as a conspiracy.
Try something: next time someone comes out with information challenging the status quo and the “balanced” news media goes after them like snarling attack dogs, take a thorough and objective look at what it is they’re attacking. You’ll find that whatever it is has validity, most of the time. It wouldn’t be assailed like that if it didn’t. They’re just trying to convince you not to take a look. They’re forming your opinion in advance so you won’t take a look. Heaven forbid you should know the truth. A classic example of this is GW Bush’s military records. They couldn’t challenge the records themselves but could successfully assail the source, so that’s what they did. By doing that, they diminished the whole story. Did you notice? Did you buy into it?
The real conspiracy is taking place in the voting booths. Don’t believe me? Download and watch
this video. It’s an interview of Stephen Spoonamore, a top computer security expert and lifelong Republican, done by ABC in 2006. That ABC never aired it should tell us something about the degree to which the information we receive is being controlled. That’s the degree to which we’re being manipulated. If after seeing that interview you still don’t believe it, it’s because you don’t want to. Denial is a powerful thing. As the Jack Nicholson character in the movie
A Few Good Men so famously said, “You can't handle the truth!”
It's that cognitive dissonance thing again.
Yup, it’s all a beautifully orchestrated dog-and-pony show that fortunately fewer and fewer people are falling for. Seeing that gives me hope.
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