This is a great post! I love reading your stuff, as it is a dose of proof that Canadian irony has not died, as all those poor people trapped in long-term care homes run for profit, not people. It remains sad, maybe tragic, that those who chose to be uninformed selected the most disreputable sources of opinion. We are in a maelstrom of disinformation, otherwise known as performative B#llSh$t.
I have become a broken record on this point but here I go again. We have raised a generation or two now of kids with good skills at investigation and no skill at remembering where Greenland is. Long on research short on facts. We have gone from Rule Brittania and all the red bits on the map being ruled by the right and the just to questioning everything that has been taught as history. We now have a group of people who have no benchmarks to measure what is true and what is false and in fact when or where all of this occurred. Throw in a bunch of orders about vaccines and they are now included in the “general lies the government tells us “ file .
I love "Be Kind, Be Mindful". That is so important. I am challenged by, on the one hand, my strong adverse reaction to the "Freedom Convoy" and the anti-vax movement, and on the other, by my need for a respectful, intelligent discussion of "freedom" versus "social responsibility". I found arguments for the "freedom" side lacking any consideration of "responsibility" to others, accountability on a societal level. Frankly, I found the proponents lacking some maturity. But I'm open to hearing an intelligent, rational debate. Extremists tend not to be capable of it. Where is this to be found in our media? Well, Brittlestar, for one.
I agree with David Toupin that social responsibility is not a part of the conversation with my family member who is now subsumed with all the ‘new truths’ he has discovered. I also hate the ‘whataboutism’ responses I get to my points as if his and his heroes’ actions and words cannot be as bad as those he hates - or he knows I am right but cannot acknowledge I have a valid argument. I will keep trying to have the discussions but man, it can be exhausting.
And, many of those impacted by someone or something outside their bubble blame the messenger, whether the person who directly told them, or the person, group or organization they believe responsible, particularly if "they" are someone they see as "other" (than those in their bubble).
I'd also note that both myself and several others both in and out of my neighbourhood have noticed that contact within in-person bubbles (neighbours, friends within a few km/m) have not rebounded to pre-COVID. Volunteers for community participation are substantially reduced.
I also feel that Conservative governments take advantage of these uneducated-about-politics-and-how-science-works people and play on their fears. Many of them spread disinformation and yell about how EVERYTHING is our PM’s fault; yet, most of what they’re yelling about are provincial matters. Where is our media? Where are the journalists ripping apart the disinformation and NOT giving this nonsense a platform? My MP consistently lies and blames, and her followers pump their fists in the air and talk about WEF taking over and how their rights are being eroded and how Trudeau is to blame for all of it! It is exceedingly tiresome. They don’t want to hear that Canada is usually at the top of any metrics showing us to be one of the best countries in the world to live. I fear what will happen if the CONs win federally next year; however, if provinces can turn away from Conservatism then we may have a fighting chance. But people need to get out there and VOTE, and to do so responsibly. Thanks, Stewart, for your keen insight with a large dash of humour; it helps keep us sane—no bananas in this bunch! Lol
I've been wondering about the bananas part myself and this is as good an explanation as I've heard. However I am concerned about the critical mass of banana-ness that might not respond to any remedy that the smarter people might come up with. Part of the banana crazy is a distrust of organized/governmental anything. I would be interested to know if this kind of behaviour happened after the 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic.
To Brittle Banger, who is willing to show he owned a K-car. Did my dad, who was a POW for three long years, have to prove that he was anti-Nazi? Irony may save us from all attempts to destroy our reasoning ability except for long exposure to sociopaths. Trump has led an old party to nihilism, and the Canadian Cons think that is just great. Really great! We cannot manage or govern, but we sure do want to rule! Capiche?
This is a great post! I love reading your stuff, as it is a dose of proof that Canadian irony has not died, as all those poor people trapped in long-term care homes run for profit, not people. It remains sad, maybe tragic, that those who chose to be uninformed selected the most disreputable sources of opinion. We are in a maelstrom of disinformation, otherwise known as performative B#llSh$t.
"You don’t have to over-consume news, politics, or global events… but it’s good to be aware."
That's the trick, isn't it? Trying to consume the news and politics without getting an anxiety storm from it is next to impossible.
I have become a broken record on this point but here I go again. We have raised a generation or two now of kids with good skills at investigation and no skill at remembering where Greenland is. Long on research short on facts. We have gone from Rule Brittania and all the red bits on the map being ruled by the right and the just to questioning everything that has been taught as history. We now have a group of people who have no benchmarks to measure what is true and what is false and in fact when or where all of this occurred. Throw in a bunch of orders about vaccines and they are now included in the “general lies the government tells us “ file .
I love "Be Kind, Be Mindful". That is so important. I am challenged by, on the one hand, my strong adverse reaction to the "Freedom Convoy" and the anti-vax movement, and on the other, by my need for a respectful, intelligent discussion of "freedom" versus "social responsibility". I found arguments for the "freedom" side lacking any consideration of "responsibility" to others, accountability on a societal level. Frankly, I found the proponents lacking some maturity. But I'm open to hearing an intelligent, rational debate. Extremists tend not to be capable of it. Where is this to be found in our media? Well, Brittlestar, for one.
I agree with David Toupin that social responsibility is not a part of the conversation with my family member who is now subsumed with all the ‘new truths’ he has discovered. I also hate the ‘whataboutism’ responses I get to my points as if his and his heroes’ actions and words cannot be as bad as those he hates - or he knows I am right but cannot acknowledge I have a valid argument. I will keep trying to have the discussions but man, it can be exhausting.
And, many of those impacted by someone or something outside their bubble blame the messenger, whether the person who directly told them, or the person, group or organization they believe responsible, particularly if "they" are someone they see as "other" (than those in their bubble).
I'd also note that both myself and several others both in and out of my neighbourhood have noticed that contact within in-person bubbles (neighbours, friends within a few km/m) have not rebounded to pre-COVID. Volunteers for community participation are substantially reduced.
I also feel that Conservative governments take advantage of these uneducated-about-politics-and-how-science-works people and play on their fears. Many of them spread disinformation and yell about how EVERYTHING is our PM’s fault; yet, most of what they’re yelling about are provincial matters. Where is our media? Where are the journalists ripping apart the disinformation and NOT giving this nonsense a platform? My MP consistently lies and blames, and her followers pump their fists in the air and talk about WEF taking over and how their rights are being eroded and how Trudeau is to blame for all of it! It is exceedingly tiresome. They don’t want to hear that Canada is usually at the top of any metrics showing us to be one of the best countries in the world to live. I fear what will happen if the CONs win federally next year; however, if provinces can turn away from Conservatism then we may have a fighting chance. But people need to get out there and VOTE, and to do so responsibly. Thanks, Stewart, for your keen insight with a large dash of humour; it helps keep us sane—no bananas in this bunch! Lol
I've been wondering about the bananas part myself and this is as good an explanation as I've heard. However I am concerned about the critical mass of banana-ness that might not respond to any remedy that the smarter people might come up with. Part of the banana crazy is a distrust of organized/governmental anything. I would be interested to know if this kind of behaviour happened after the 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic.
Thanks to everyone who read and appreciated my "comment."
To Brittle Banger, who is willing to show he owned a K-car. Did my dad, who was a POW for three long years, have to prove that he was anti-Nazi? Irony may save us from all attempts to destroy our reasoning ability except for long exposure to sociopaths. Trump has led an old party to nihilism, and the Canadian Cons think that is just great. Really great! We cannot manage or govern, but we sure do want to rule! Capiche?