Of Course You Are, My Bright Little Star...
Data, Information, Knowledge, Truth, History. Often crassly conflated as one and the same thing by those that seek only to benefit materially from such reductiveness in pulling a fast one when presenting one as equivalent to another for political ends. They are of course increasingly macro divisions derived, each, in turn from the previous. Finer subdivisions obviously can be drawn within each of these categories themselves, but suffice it to say that they are not equivalent, either structurally or conceptually: one follows from the other. Examples of this manner of deliberate distortion can be found daily in the pronouncements of pundits, politicians - and particularly - economists, the press, and sundry others drawing and promulgating conclusions from un-contextualised atomata [my neologism, I think: apologies, anyway, in advance of whatever] in service of nefarious doings to further their own agendas.
The current US situation is a case in point. They are currently entering the early stages of of a totalitarian takeover, exactly mirroring the rise of the Nazi Party in 1930's Germany. All of the signs and echoes of that era are there in plain sight for those who care to see and not just look. Take that stupid chat release of the Yemen attack details - on socials, for crying out loud - and still the protagonists of this ridiculous breach of national security are saying: '"...nothing to see here, it never happened in the way you characterise it..."' [I use quotation marks ironically: sauce for the goose, etc.]. The point is that the situation over the pond from here is actually far, far worse than we in the UK realise: the Nazi rot has not only set in across this administration, but is accelerating at a furious rate.
I urge you to look at this analysis of the current state of play Stateside. It's not the only voice echoing in the void outside of the MAGA/DOGE universe, so compare and contrast for yourself. If you don't arrive at the worrying conclusion that 'our greatest ally' is rapidly heading to the same place that Germany did starting in 1933, then you need schooling up on your history. This is something to be genuinely concerned about: there is such a thing as truth, and there is such a thing as history. Knowledge bookends both and shouldn't either be taken lightly or allowed to be twisted by the nefarious...
Anyone who can tell me the connection between the title of this scribble, Eric Blair and Cartesian philosophy gets a [virtual] prize for having been around long enough to get the point...
I think, I think I am - therefore I am, I think.
ReplyDeleteKytey and I used to quote this to each other when we were at school. It became almost a greeting at one stage. I must say that I still have a soft spot for the album. Takes me right back.
You're magnetic ink!
Trust All Well. Phil.
Congratulations, Phil: I knew either you or Steve would come back on that one! '...There you go, man; keep as cool as you can. Face piles of trials with smiles: it riles them to believe that you perceive the web they weave...'
DeleteBeat me to it easily - I've only today got around to reading this blog post. Funnily enough I only recently played said album. 'Live hand in hand and together we will stand...'
DeleteBetter late than never! Bonkers how that album was such a thing then and sticks in the consciousness to this day...
Delete