One of the less attractive traits of humanity is how fast the pack mentality takes over when a little malice is introduced.
Trolls are the electronic version of the dog pack.
Only an alpha dog will move in and risk getting hurt when it attacks a prey, but any old coward in the pack will sneak in and bite once the quarry is down, or on the run.
You see it all the time among teens, because they're not quite grown up but they've lost most of their innocence. In order to be a part of some crowd, they'll join in to find their place in the pecking order if another teen becomes the target of exclusion or ridicule. It can escalate into actual physical violence, but the psychological damage can be enough to change lives.
Most religions teach some variation of compassion for the downtrodden, but compassion is the first to go among the low in self-esteem, the greedy, the narcissistic and the downright mean-spirited.
A man I respect passed along an email prior to the election that I passed along in turn. It made the point that regardless of the names of those running for particular offices, the real candidates are followers on one of two philosophies: Adam Smith, who said government has a duty to help the less fortunate, or Ayn Rand, who proselytized that only the strong and ruthless should survive. Smith saw a Higher Being as work in us; Rand sneered at the idea of Godliness.
Selfless or selfish. Close, but souls apart in definition.
I remain convinced that the public conscience will swing back to some degree of moderation between those two extremes -- but that presupposes that we are, collectively, more like Smith and less like Rand, who did not even acknowledge any virtue in collectiveness, which includes, I suppose, elections.
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Too much information, not enough comprehension
Ben Bradlee died this week. He was one of the kings of what we once knew as journalism. He made sure that two frisky young reporters got their facts right -- well, mostly right -- before he allowed them to put the credibility of the Washington Post on the line to run stories that would eventually lead to the resignation of a President.
Like most good editors, he would send the story back to the reporters and say, "You need more facts."
Yeah, we actually used to do that. Try to get it right.
Now you can get your news in more ways more often from more sources than any time in history.
But that doesn't mean you will be any better informed. In fact, you may just be more confused, because the purveyors of information have fewer gatekeepers, editors, challengers and -- in many cases, ethics -- than before.
Anybody can write or say anything about anything or anyone at any time, all the time, any where, and not even have to put their name on it, and people will read it.
The wilder it is, the more some will believe it, and even those who are skeptical will still pass it on with a keystroke to others on their email list.
I liked it better when you had to sign your name -- your real name, not some fantasy tag -- to what you purport to be a statement of fact.
As for responsibility or ethics, the only justification needed for slander or an outright lie is, "I'm entitled to my opinion."
Of course you are, but sign your name to it.
I'm not convinced that even that would put the genie back in the bottle in this, the Misinformation Age.
It's bad enough to be ignorant, but it's worse to be proud of it. Ignorance plus pride is enough to begin a new political cult.
Maybe it's just the thing for a population that seems to believe in little besides winning an argument.
Like most good editors, he would send the story back to the reporters and say, "You need more facts."
Yeah, we actually used to do that. Try to get it right.
Now you can get your news in more ways more often from more sources than any time in history.
But that doesn't mean you will be any better informed. In fact, you may just be more confused, because the purveyors of information have fewer gatekeepers, editors, challengers and -- in many cases, ethics -- than before.
Anybody can write or say anything about anything or anyone at any time, all the time, any where, and not even have to put their name on it, and people will read it.
The wilder it is, the more some will believe it, and even those who are skeptical will still pass it on with a keystroke to others on their email list.
I liked it better when you had to sign your name -- your real name, not some fantasy tag -- to what you purport to be a statement of fact.
As for responsibility or ethics, the only justification needed for slander or an outright lie is, "I'm entitled to my opinion."
Of course you are, but sign your name to it.
I'm not convinced that even that would put the genie back in the bottle in this, the Misinformation Age.
It's bad enough to be ignorant, but it's worse to be proud of it. Ignorance plus pride is enough to begin a new political cult.
Maybe it's just the thing for a population that seems to believe in little besides winning an argument.
Saturday, October 25, 2014
It's in the news ......
FENCE JUMPERS
Another guy jumps the White House fence.
Note to fence-jumpers: The Secret Service has been embarrassed and is ticked off, and they have dogs. Do not jump the White House fence.
Go jump the fence at the nearest maximum security facility. You'll know it by the razor wire. Jump in and see what a real challenge is like....
As for why the story about the original jumper changed over several days, my theory is that like everything else, the SS now has marketing people who want to weigh in and make sure the best image is put out there. It would be impolitic to mention that the guy got as far as he did unless it could be no longer denied.
Then they had to deal with the fact that an agent did encounter the trespasser, but was overcome by the bad guy.
Then they had to admit the agent that was overcome was female, which someone might consider a politically incorrect topic.
So they got more dogs.
Maybe the Homeland Security folks could guard the fence at the White House and pretend that the jumpers are trying to board an airplane to go to Disneyworld.
And put bomb-sniffing dogs at the airports.
A ROSE IS A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME
Polls in Kentucky show that most state residents hate "Obamacare" but they love the state's new health care plan. When it was disclosed that the state health care plan IS "Obamacare" by another name, there was silence from the Right.
The same silence you hear when it is pointed out that "Obamacare" is really Romneycare -- former GOP presidential candidate who pushed the health plan through Massachusetts when he was governor. Same plan, essentially, different name.
These people vote.
SERIOUSLY?
More people will die because parents refuse to have their kids inoculated against measles, whooping cough and other "old" diseases than will die because of the ebola virus -- even in Africa.
The story made the news once or twice, backed up by science and officialdom, but the media continues to scream headlines about another person with a fever passing through an airport near you.
To regain your perspective, if not your sanity, read a good book for a day or so.
WE LEAD BY EXAMPLE
A shooter gets into the government house in Canada and people in that country can't imagine how it could happen there. They had only five murders in Ottawa in the past year.
Here in the U. S. we might be at the point where we have forgotten the name of another school shot up this week in -- where was it this time?
Another guy jumps the White House fence.
Note to fence-jumpers: The Secret Service has been embarrassed and is ticked off, and they have dogs. Do not jump the White House fence.
Go jump the fence at the nearest maximum security facility. You'll know it by the razor wire. Jump in and see what a real challenge is like....
As for why the story about the original jumper changed over several days, my theory is that like everything else, the SS now has marketing people who want to weigh in and make sure the best image is put out there. It would be impolitic to mention that the guy got as far as he did unless it could be no longer denied.
Then they had to deal with the fact that an agent did encounter the trespasser, but was overcome by the bad guy.
Then they had to admit the agent that was overcome was female, which someone might consider a politically incorrect topic.
So they got more dogs.
Maybe the Homeland Security folks could guard the fence at the White House and pretend that the jumpers are trying to board an airplane to go to Disneyworld.
And put bomb-sniffing dogs at the airports.
A ROSE IS A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME
Polls in Kentucky show that most state residents hate "Obamacare" but they love the state's new health care plan. When it was disclosed that the state health care plan IS "Obamacare" by another name, there was silence from the Right.
The same silence you hear when it is pointed out that "Obamacare" is really Romneycare -- former GOP presidential candidate who pushed the health plan through Massachusetts when he was governor. Same plan, essentially, different name.
These people vote.
SERIOUSLY?
More people will die because parents refuse to have their kids inoculated against measles, whooping cough and other "old" diseases than will die because of the ebola virus -- even in Africa.
The story made the news once or twice, backed up by science and officialdom, but the media continues to scream headlines about another person with a fever passing through an airport near you.
To regain your perspective, if not your sanity, read a good book for a day or so.
WE LEAD BY EXAMPLE
A shooter gets into the government house in Canada and people in that country can't imagine how it could happen there. They had only five murders in Ottawa in the past year.
Here in the U. S. we might be at the point where we have forgotten the name of another school shot up this week in -- where was it this time?
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
The image reflects the message
Just about the time I think this board of commissioners cannot stoop to a new low, they prove me wrong.
Previous commissioners and candidates for office have let it be known they do not support the expansion of mass transit to and from the Baltimore area. But this is the first time I know of that they have tried to make it official.
It's one of the questions I got when I ran: Will you keep us out of the Baltimore metro plans for mass transit? The implication is that if you build it THEY will come.
You know, Those People.
We have this image around the state for being a bit of an isolationist county. Many new residents have even said, in effect, now that they have moved to Carroll County, you can burn the bridges and pull up the drawbridge and make sure the moat around us if filled with alligators -- or the NRA.
It's so prevalent that the working title for my novel, What Price Eden, was Fortress County. That was a term that I used in remarks before the metropolitan transportation council in Baltimore as a new commissioner back in 2003 or '04.
They were surprised I attended. A few said the only thing they heard from Carroll County was NO when it came to working with other metro area counties on long-term plans for the future of commuting to and from jobs in the Baltimore/DC corridor. Or for workers to get to jobs in Carroll County.
I ran into a young African American woman at the University of Maryland who said she turned down a great job offer from Western Maryland (the name of McDaniel at the time) because everybody she knew said this was Klan country.
A young black student who interned for me when I was editor of a local paper turned down my offer of a job for the same reason -- and he grew up here.
I know, I know, it's not the color, it's the criminal element that locals want to keep out. We're not racists, right?
When I hear someone say that a rail line or bus routes bring criminals to rob us and then return to Baltimore, I point out that most of the criminal charges I see in the paper are filed against locals, and they're white and under-educated and virtually unemployable. Many are drug addicts.
We have an image problem.
When you're looking in the mirror before leaving for that job in Hunt Valley or Howard County, consider that the nice outfit or hairdo is what you see, but others see something else.
Your elected officials are the face of all of us around the state. Their words are how we are known.
Previous commissioners and candidates for office have let it be known they do not support the expansion of mass transit to and from the Baltimore area. But this is the first time I know of that they have tried to make it official.
It's one of the questions I got when I ran: Will you keep us out of the Baltimore metro plans for mass transit? The implication is that if you build it THEY will come.
You know, Those People.
We have this image around the state for being a bit of an isolationist county. Many new residents have even said, in effect, now that they have moved to Carroll County, you can burn the bridges and pull up the drawbridge and make sure the moat around us if filled with alligators -- or the NRA.
It's so prevalent that the working title for my novel, What Price Eden, was Fortress County. That was a term that I used in remarks before the metropolitan transportation council in Baltimore as a new commissioner back in 2003 or '04.
They were surprised I attended. A few said the only thing they heard from Carroll County was NO when it came to working with other metro area counties on long-term plans for the future of commuting to and from jobs in the Baltimore/DC corridor. Or for workers to get to jobs in Carroll County.
I ran into a young African American woman at the University of Maryland who said she turned down a great job offer from Western Maryland (the name of McDaniel at the time) because everybody she knew said this was Klan country.
A young black student who interned for me when I was editor of a local paper turned down my offer of a job for the same reason -- and he grew up here.
I know, I know, it's not the color, it's the criminal element that locals want to keep out. We're not racists, right?
When I hear someone say that a rail line or bus routes bring criminals to rob us and then return to Baltimore, I point out that most of the criminal charges I see in the paper are filed against locals, and they're white and under-educated and virtually unemployable. Many are drug addicts.
We have an image problem.
When you're looking in the mirror before leaving for that job in Hunt Valley or Howard County, consider that the nice outfit or hairdo is what you see, but others see something else.
Your elected officials are the face of all of us around the state. Their words are how we are known.
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Ferguson story is a lesson to us all
Only about 12 percent of the registered voters in Ferguson, MO., voted in their last election.
Now, after who knows how many trumped up charges that produce fines to keep tax rates down in the suburban St. Louis community, and the death of a young black man -- some would say another death of a young black man -- people have taken to the street to demand more say in how the town is run.
Good for them. Take charge of your own town, send the bad cops packing, change the leadership, participate, campaign, debate, get engaged, back a plan and vote. Then stay up on things and speak out, write letters to the editor or, if you have to, start your own news letter and walk copies door to door.
Better that walking down the street after the disaster.
Then all the spectators, including the gluttonous media, can go find another source of entertainment.
If you think it can't happen where you live, sit back, don't give a hoot who runs for office or how those who do administer everything from public contracts to public safety, and you, too, can become a victim of those who will step into any situation that can be exploited for their own power and wealth.
Now, after who knows how many trumped up charges that produce fines to keep tax rates down in the suburban St. Louis community, and the death of a young black man -- some would say another death of a young black man -- people have taken to the street to demand more say in how the town is run.
Good for them. Take charge of your own town, send the bad cops packing, change the leadership, participate, campaign, debate, get engaged, back a plan and vote. Then stay up on things and speak out, write letters to the editor or, if you have to, start your own news letter and walk copies door to door.
Better that walking down the street after the disaster.
Then all the spectators, including the gluttonous media, can go find another source of entertainment.
If you think it can't happen where you live, sit back, don't give a hoot who runs for office or how those who do administer everything from public contracts to public safety, and you, too, can become a victim of those who will step into any situation that can be exploited for their own power and wealth.
Saturday, October 18, 2014
You need to wonder who said what
I saw a letter to the editor the other day that praised the virtues of an incumbent county commissioner in ways that suggests the politician has influenced the writer to the extent that you might wonder who wrote it.
It starts off with an assertion -- the commissioner is very assertive; obnoxiously so, in my opinion -- that what follows are irrefutable facts. It continues in the way of engineers and other linear thinkers to set forth opinions.
Also, like the politician to which the facts are attributed, it sets forth the opinions in numerical list form. First, Second, Third -- like that.
Also, the facts are stated in such a way as to discredit not only the position of an adversary, but the critic, in a personal way.
It's classic propaganda speak, such as has elevated this politician and made him the darling of shallow thinking followers (see how that works? That's a sample of what I said in the previous sentence, but at least I'm not being devious about it).
You've noticed I have not mentioned the name of the politician -- or the writer defending him. The letter writer, assuming he wrote the letter, was exercising his right to freedom of speech. As for the subject of all this, I prefer to quote Samuel Johnson, who said, "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel."
It starts off with an assertion -- the commissioner is very assertive; obnoxiously so, in my opinion -- that what follows are irrefutable facts. It continues in the way of engineers and other linear thinkers to set forth opinions.
Also, like the politician to which the facts are attributed, it sets forth the opinions in numerical list form. First, Second, Third -- like that.
Also, the facts are stated in such a way as to discredit not only the position of an adversary, but the critic, in a personal way.
It's classic propaganda speak, such as has elevated this politician and made him the darling of shallow thinking followers (see how that works? That's a sample of what I said in the previous sentence, but at least I'm not being devious about it).
You've noticed I have not mentioned the name of the politician -- or the writer defending him. The letter writer, assuming he wrote the letter, was exercising his right to freedom of speech. As for the subject of all this, I prefer to quote Samuel Johnson, who said, "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel."
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Too many choices add to life's stress
I am in the toothpaste aisle of the grocery store having a meltdown moment.
All I want is a toothbrush. Simple hand-held thing with bristles that you shove around inside your chow-funnel to clean the debris and keep the dentist from lecturing you at your next scheduled cleaning.
I have a coupon that I clipped out of the Sunday paper. Sensodyne toothbrush, so much off, and I don't even have to buy three.
But I have run into a wall of toothbrush choices, and I am paralyzed by indecision.
Do I want hard, medium or soft bristles? Pick-tip, whatever that means?
Remember when all you had to do was choose between red, white, green or blue?
Now they come with racing stripes. More color combinations on one toothbrush than a car painted in a Tijuana chop shop.
Do I want a battery powered, electrified, or manual shift?
I can have a Wave, a Zig-Zag, flat-head, tapered, gum-massager, side-picker, over the shoulder, upside down, inside out -- the choices are endless.
And I can have the store brand, two or other off-brands, an Oral B or anything except, it seems, the Sensodyne for which I have a coupon.
Let's move on to the case where they sell ice, where I have a choice between a big bag or a small one, with large cubes or cocktail crush.
Which reminds me that a scotch would go well right now.
All I want is a toothbrush. Simple hand-held thing with bristles that you shove around inside your chow-funnel to clean the debris and keep the dentist from lecturing you at your next scheduled cleaning.
I have a coupon that I clipped out of the Sunday paper. Sensodyne toothbrush, so much off, and I don't even have to buy three.
But I have run into a wall of toothbrush choices, and I am paralyzed by indecision.
Do I want hard, medium or soft bristles? Pick-tip, whatever that means?
Remember when all you had to do was choose between red, white, green or blue?
Now they come with racing stripes. More color combinations on one toothbrush than a car painted in a Tijuana chop shop.
Do I want a battery powered, electrified, or manual shift?
I can have a Wave, a Zig-Zag, flat-head, tapered, gum-massager, side-picker, over the shoulder, upside down, inside out -- the choices are endless.
And I can have the store brand, two or other off-brands, an Oral B or anything except, it seems, the Sensodyne for which I have a coupon.
Let's move on to the case where they sell ice, where I have a choice between a big bag or a small one, with large cubes or cocktail crush.
Which reminds me that a scotch would go well right now.
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