The abandonment of Rush Limbaugh's program by some of his advertisers has been an interesting thing to watch. It really reflects capitalism at its finest, that just as they are free to leave, so too are the customers they reached via Rush are free to abandon the service. Yesterday, Carbonite stock fell almost 12% as investors fled and users cancelled their service. This freedom of association is how decisions ought to be made.
However, there is a lot of miscommunication in this as well. Politico reports that Rush lost not just 15 advertisers but 39, which apparently isn't true. Thirty-nine sounds better than fifteen, being more than twice the number, and for a media excited to create an emotional impression this is a perfect storm. However, it's not true. It was done to disspirit people and create an impression, which is the modus opporendi for the media.
The media gets away with this for two reasons. First of all, they lie all the time. After all, we all know Dewey did not beat Truman. Secondly, they get away with it because people don't do their own homework. Far too many people sit there and take in what is fed to them without asking whether it is true or questioning the motives of those who report it.
In class, I talk a lot about presentation of information and care when drawing conclusions. I point out to my students that everyone has an agenda; I even tell them my agenda is to make them skeptical of what people say, including me. Many things are true only if you see them narrowly. Monday night, we discussed the ideal gas law, which I like because it is a law for an ideal gas, of which we know none. At least they were clear in defining for what kind of gas and under what condition their observations and rules apply.
Most people however, want to create an impression. They want you to believe that elves bake cookies in oak trees, that women play basketball in high heels, or that bringing a particular brand of beer to a party will suddenly make you more popular, especially with attractive women. Even today, I read an article that first attributes our warm winter to Global Warming, and then cites a quote that "Mother Nature or weather patterns have a way of evening themselves out." These people are hoping to make gains with you and persuade you to think like they do. It validates them and affirms their worth.
For many months now, I have been talking about how most people, rather than looking for truth, secretly hope the truth will corroborate that which they already happen to believe. They equate their value with how many people agree with them. Now, I'm less worried about that than most. My biggest concern is my state of grace with my Maker, and if He is pleased, then the rest weighs less on my mind. I don't even really care if you agree with this blog as long as you think about what I say. I do not have all the answers. I'm 32 years old. I haven't had enough time to convert knowledge into wisdom, and I'll be much wiser hopefully when I'm 60 than I am today. I try to keep four words in mind when I write these things, "I might be wrong". However, if they make you think, then I have accomplished my goal.
A few posts ago, someone posted a different opinion as a comment. It was however not directed at the substance of my post. After I responded, I reread what I had written and found that the comment was only tangentially related, and hence it was really a new topic. It was also emotional. Words don't always convey well the emotions of him who wrote them, so please don't read what I write as if you were writing it, especially if you don't know me. When you elevate it to emotions, you can no longer have as effective a discussion.
Last night, I watched TV for the first time in a long time. I caught wind of a new show on ABC called GCB or "Good Christian Bitches". The premise of the show is to showcase hypocrisy of Christians in this show, as if Christians are the only people whose behavior and rhetoric are incongruous. Yet, ABC will get away with it because they lie and then because enough people will believe it. I have learned that people believe a lie because they think it is true or because they are afraid it might be. Educate yourselves. That way, you control what you disregard as a contumely and what you retain as valuable. That way, it won't matter if people lie because you are looking for the truth.
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