tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4256367009985298221.post2001038920896972322..comments2024-03-29T04:10:55.032-07:00Comments on Hawaiian libertarian: Manufacturing ConsensusKeoni Galthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00842553742723239151noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4256367009985298221.post-27563373234418483722010-11-10T18:27:42.002-08:002010-11-10T18:27:42.002-08:00This actually makes me think of the "Obama is...This actually makes me think of the "Obama is a Muslim" statistic. Why was this survey question even asked? All they wanted was people to start talking about how 20, 25 or 30% of Americans think that he's a Muslim to discredit "Those Ignorant Republicans". The actual number doesn't matter. <br />Then when you think about how the actual survey could have been altered using this method. How much could the number affected by the preceding questions? The average person will start thinking differently when faced with questions that intentionally play to their fears and preconceptions. Then when the question is asked, they might think, "Hey, maybe he is a Muslim."<br /><br />I think this technique is used by both sides. It's psychological warfare.Cul-De-Sac Herohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02038984377092889981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4256367009985298221.post-1194055250393346092010-11-09T04:57:01.404-08:002010-11-09T04:57:01.404-08:00Interesting stuff.Interesting stuff.Gunslingergreginoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4256367009985298221.post-71815091789616282742010-11-09T03:15:08.642-08:002010-11-09T03:15:08.642-08:00This post made my mind wander back to all those &q...This post made my mind wander back to all those "ABC-Townhall-Meetings" during the Clinton era regarding the "health care crisis" that was supposedly going on at the time. <br /><br />All the "workshops" you hear liberals wanting everyone to attend seem to be run in a similar fashion: a moderator/leader type asking the class some questions and acting even-handed at the start, gaining people's confidence in their fairness and then stilting the dialogue toward one position, and mocking, with the audiences' help, dissenting views. They will have all their arguments pre-prepared beforehand, and objectors will just be speaking from the hip, as they had not schemed the whole interaction out in their mind as the moderators had previously.<br /><br /><br />The act of asking "loaded questions" with several paranthetic elements (commas) in them with either a "yes" or "no" answer expected as a response is another dirty little tactic. Phil Donahue used to use this on his talk show all the time. One is expected to awnser a question with premesises forced upon them that they dont agree with, and can't go back and argue much of the framing language within the question in this manner or "we'll be here all day if we can't agree on that", etc. (A very primitive example of this would be the question: "Do you still beat your wife, yes or no?") Talk shows in the 90's were often loosely fascimilies of the situation HL described in his post, with the show's host acting as the moderator and the issue "today" on "today's Geraldo" or whatever, was issue X, and the conclusion that would be reached at the end of the show was exactly the one the producers had in mind. I thought talk shows in the 90's (especially Springer, Lake, Jones) did more to break down long-standing folkaways than even MTV did. There are some things (like cheating with your sister-in-law) that one should really feel ashamed about, but these shows just rolled out dysfunction-junction in front of the unsuspecting American populace week-after-week. I think there was a method to the madness there.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4256367009985298221.post-291156636656253052010-11-05T22:27:17.863-07:002010-11-05T22:27:17.863-07:00Sounds exactly like the climate change "conse...Sounds exactly like the climate change "consensus". Everyone agrees even if they are not scientists or have any knowledge what so ever on the matter, because they don't want to appear ignorant. <br /><br />I have already achieved pariah status at my campus for not being convinced by the CO2 argument.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4256367009985298221.post-8441908474361752452010-11-05T16:58:03.926-07:002010-11-05T16:58:03.926-07:00I recall that shortly after Obama was elected, he ...I recall that shortly after Obama was elected, he wanted "community meetings" to take place about health care issues and report the results back to the White House (as if he was going to use this input in shaping Health Care policy). I know that such a meeting was held in my community, although I did not attend. Sounds like the perfect opportunity to use this technique and brainwash the masses.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4256367009985298221.post-80934589958506478872010-11-05T13:09:37.244-07:002010-11-05T13:09:37.244-07:00Quick thought:
Many companies now give personalit...Quick thought:<br /><br />Many companies now give personality surveys when one applies for a job online; frequently, these include or are entirely the "strongly agree" to "strongly disagree" questions. <br /><br />Could these be considered the manipulation is reverse: a means of determining to what extent one is in compliance with the "consensus?" Thus then these are filters not to find the best employees but the who fit the desired "consensus."dienwhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16878081733638742366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4256367009985298221.post-20156972405215089052010-11-05T11:19:03.537-07:002010-11-05T11:19:03.537-07:00This post is a reflection my thoughts over the las...This post is a reflection my thoughts over the last month. I recently read Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto. Currently working on his Underground History book.<br /><br />I recommend "Weapons of Mass Instruction" by the same author. Truly one of the most life altering books I have ever read.<br /><br />With this being said, I must confess that I have been part of a Teacher Certification program for the last 5 years. All the ideas that this post raises and the ideas of John Taylor Gatto are eerily true. After reading Gatto's books and doing a lot of self reflecting I decided to drop the teaching idea and just graduate with a degree. <br /><br />If any of you are at all interested in why we are who we are, you must read Gatto's work as well as meditate on the ideas presented in this article.Ryanhttp://www.bryantheryan.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4256367009985298221.post-80156285759415509972010-11-05T11:03:26.823-07:002010-11-05T11:03:26.823-07:00I've certainly been victim of things that soun...I've certainly been victim of things that <i>sound</i> like what you're describing, although without learning more about it it's hard to be sure.<br /><br />One time in medical school, for instance, we had to break into small groups for "discussion". Each of us was given a small card with a statement on it, and we had to read the statement aloud, say whether or not we agreed with it, and then talk it over. They were typically ethically-loaded statements such as: "Drug abusers should receive mandatory therapy," or the atom-bomb: "Homosexuals should not be allowed to adopt children."<br /><br />What some of these had to do with medicine, I couldn't say. The exercise was touted as one that was supposed to "help us think through our sense of ethics and whence we derive those ethics." In actuality, of course, the activity was clearly intended to marginalize politically incorrect perspectives and make anyone holding an unpopular view feel unable to express himself.<br /><br />Whether this is the sort of experience you're looking for, HL, I can't say for certain.Samsonhttp://samsonsjawbone.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4256367009985298221.post-3851704496621780932010-11-05T05:40:19.302-07:002010-11-05T05:40:19.302-07:00It's just a tool, and content neutral. Just li...It's just a tool, and content neutral. Just like a gun can be used to defend liberty or commit injustice, it can be used to push good ideas as well as bad.<br /><br />The problem isn't the weapon. The problem is that the government has too much power, and is not accountable. Who would care what some neo-Marxist change agent believed if he didn't have the power to influence your child's education? I wouldn't (much).<br /><br />This is one reason among many that parents should have the absolute right to choose which schools their children go to, and what sort of education they receive. This is one reason among many the government cannot be entrusted with a monopoly in this manner.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17698562397742719005noreply@blogger.com