Post by ck4829 on Dec 13, 2016 13:48:47 GMT
Americans should be concerned about the spread of "fake news" stories and their president-elect's disregard for the truth.
Nearly 37 years ago, Isaac Asimov described the danger of accepting lies and conspiracy theories as truth.
"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'"
The quote is from a piece titled "A cult of ignorance," published by Newsweek in 1980. Asimov, who died in 1992 at age 72, was a scientist and prolific author who taught biochemistry at Boston University and wrote or edited more than 500 books, including the science fiction classic "I, Robot."
...
People should be wary when their next president and other top government officials promote the spread of inaccurate information. If their president or one of his cabinet members say something publicly, it carries the weight of authority. People have a reasonable expectation that it's true.
It should come as no surprise when that's not the case, though, since Trump built his political career upon the false "birther" notion that President Barack Obama wasn't born in the United States.
Since the Nov. 8 election, it's become clear that fabricated stories claiming Hillary Clinton's involvement in outlandish conspiracy theories were widely circulated on social media and influenced some voters' decisions.
A Dec. 5 New York Times story examined the so-called "PizzaGate" controversy, where an armed man was arrested after going to a Washington, D.C. family restaurant to investigate claims tying Clinton to a child sex trafficking ring.
"For Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn, who is President-elect Donald J. Trump's choice for national security adviser, pushing conspiracy theories about Hillary Clinton is a family affair: Both he and his son, Michael G. Flynn, have used social media to spread fake news stories linking Mrs. Clinton to underage sex rings and other serious crimes, backed by no evidence," The Times reported.
www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/opinion/ct-sta-slowik-truth-st-1211-20161209-story.html
Nearly 37 years ago, Isaac Asimov described the danger of accepting lies and conspiracy theories as truth.
"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'"
The quote is from a piece titled "A cult of ignorance," published by Newsweek in 1980. Asimov, who died in 1992 at age 72, was a scientist and prolific author who taught biochemistry at Boston University and wrote or edited more than 500 books, including the science fiction classic "I, Robot."
...
People should be wary when their next president and other top government officials promote the spread of inaccurate information. If their president or one of his cabinet members say something publicly, it carries the weight of authority. People have a reasonable expectation that it's true.
It should come as no surprise when that's not the case, though, since Trump built his political career upon the false "birther" notion that President Barack Obama wasn't born in the United States.
Since the Nov. 8 election, it's become clear that fabricated stories claiming Hillary Clinton's involvement in outlandish conspiracy theories were widely circulated on social media and influenced some voters' decisions.
A Dec. 5 New York Times story examined the so-called "PizzaGate" controversy, where an armed man was arrested after going to a Washington, D.C. family restaurant to investigate claims tying Clinton to a child sex trafficking ring.
"For Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn, who is President-elect Donald J. Trump's choice for national security adviser, pushing conspiracy theories about Hillary Clinton is a family affair: Both he and his son, Michael G. Flynn, have used social media to spread fake news stories linking Mrs. Clinton to underage sex rings and other serious crimes, backed by no evidence," The Times reported.
www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/opinion/ct-sta-slowik-truth-st-1211-20161209-story.html
