Goebbels Soup

Is there really anything wrong with the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person?

I mean really folks; the game of life is how I get what I want, and a little propaganda can really help what we’re selling be it product, service, belief, or idea.

What I am exposed to most often though from friends and family and foes alike is a story or statement without confirmation or certainty as to facts; rumors. To my amazement people I love and respect in many ways buy into the forwarded e-mail du jour or talk show rant, to the point where they are visibly upset. The response to these epiphanies generally go like this … “My team has a knowledge or truth that is self evident to all reasonable people, but the evil crazies that are not on my team are blind and they’re trying to wreck everything”.

I’ll admit it is a little handier to choose our conclusions first, and then search for facts and information to support our convictions, but I’m pretty sure it should be the other way around. It’s also less troublesome to trust facts that support our team and only verify facts that seem opposed to our team.

I have come to expect this in matters of religion and politics and sad though it is the greater tragedy for me is that these methods of acquiring, processing, and exchanging information have permeated a great deal of our daily interactions. Is it that we live in a society where so much is marketed? I’m told the Sturgis Bike Rally in days of old was a scary place for the Cleaver families of America, and now suburbia can dress up in the biker outfits they bought at Walmart and even bring their kids to the event. How about ghetto gang-bangers? Once the great white fear, now our kids can dress, pierce, tattoo, talk, and rap like those west coast hero’s who have made it to the big time.

Not everything in life is a team sport.  Find me a friend who has not eaten America’s Goebbels Soup. Someone I can exchange ideas with, without judgment, or anger, or competition. Is there anyone left?