It's like telling a person missing their arms to just try harder to complete that pull-up.
I don't think there's a solution to all this government spin and media manipulation. They're not going to stop on their own and people certainly aren't going to take any initiative to find out the actual truth when someone is always there to give them a shortcut to thinking.
Most people I know think that they think for themselves, but in reality don't. Example, someone I know like to make it a point he thinks for himself and people that don't are stupid. He defines his reality by reading news articles from selected sources, pop media icons, and Howard Stern. He feels since he is getting information from multiple sources, he is thinking fo himself.
Wrong. He's simply adopting opinions professed by other people. He may be hearing multiple opinions from multiple sources, but ultimately gravitates to the ones the are loudest and align to his belief system. If he thought for himself, he would question those opinions, seek out others that are opposite for their arguments. He would also do the best he could to find the source material his adoped opinions come from to judge for himself.
But he doesn't. Most people don't. To think for yourself is not to get a bunch of info and decide what you think is right. You have to analyze and question the opinion, or supposed "facts", and learn what you need to in order to form your own opinion.
That's right.
Since all the major media outlets are owned by just a handful of people they think they're forming a "well rounded" opinion by reading multiple select sources - but its all coming from one primary group or "source".
But then again Google and places that collect and categorize information are also making it almost impossible to locate original source material to conduct your own research.
So what do you suggest? Seriously... I read right wing stuff, left wing stuff, foreign stuff, etc. But everything has a spin somewhere ya? I mean, I probably think my opinions are right and you think your opinions are right. Since we're both here we likely agree on more than we don't, but how would we hash out something in between? Obviously we're entitled to agree to disagree, but how would we really explore that and try to both change with an open mind?
Honestly I don't know. I'm not sure what the solution is.
It takes both people being willing to keep a somewhat open mind, and to genuinely consider what the other person is proposing from their perspective, but anymore people just listen for keywords - and when they hear it - they shut down and stop listening.
The educational system and media is directly to blame for that btw.. They've trained people to shut down mentally whenever they hear anything they disagree with.
I've had some luck around here. I'm more liberal that the average pede.
I don't think I've changed anyone's mind about stuff but I think people round these parts are more inclined to respect my different opinion.
Of course folks around these parts aren't really fond of Republicans either, so it helps to keep an open mind when you think both sides are BS maybe? LOL.
Correct. Society has lost the ability to reason and question because industrialization has eliminated the urge to struggle for necessities like food, clothing, travel, detergents, medicine and shelter. There is no commodity that requires thinking anymore!
For example:
Do you see how the industrialization and consumerization of every little thing has destroyed people's reasoning and thinking for themselves? Why would they think if they believe that the industry is doing for them??
Try stating an original thought. You'll get your ass kicked, even here.