Something that I hear a lot lately is that we live in confusing times, people no longer know who to trust, what the truth is, what is happening, since the mainstream media are no longer trustworthy, fake news abounds, and some people claim something to be true while others say the exact opposite, it seems that people are living in completely different realities, and if we can't even agree on what reality is, how can we possibly agree on anything else?
We know that the mainstream media are not trustworthy anymore, in fact, they have never been trustworthy, from day one, they have always tried to push their own agenda, to sell their own narrative, the one that favors them that you believe, not the truth, that's why it is a good thing that a larger and more significant sector of the population is ceasing to trust them, but then, who to trust? In the alternative media? In independent journalists? What specific person, group of people, portal, channel, or radio station, who is there to tell us the whole truth of what is really happening without lies, without deception, without malicious misinterpretation, without any falsehood? And the answer is, no one, no one there is whom you can trust that way, in fact, there is only one person, one person you can trust at any time and in any circumstance, only one person you must trust if you want to truly know the truth, and that person is yourself, no one else. There is no other reliable source of information, none. They all tell the truth sometimes, and sometimes not, as it suits them. It is up to you, it is up to us, to think critically, investigate on our own, and make the correct use of logic and reason to verify whether what we receive through these means of communication, or from any third party, is true or false. It is up to us to discern between the true and the false to see through any duplicity and truly know reality. There is no other "fact checker" who is truly impartial, and who is genuinely interested in us knowing the truth.
Perhaps we are very used to the life of sheep where someone else tells us what to think and what is the reality in which we live, what is true and what we should do about it, but it is time for us to become aware of the state in which we are and begin to take control of our life, it is certainly not easy, it is much easier to live like sheep, I have always said it, because it is easier to follow orders than to govern yourself, but at what price? At a very high price if you ask me, because you lose contact with the truth, with freedom, with goodness, and with all the noble things in life.
We must create the habit of distrust, distrust as a good thing, of distrusting everything that we cannot verify for ourselves, a healthy skepticism, because what we currently see is that everything is doubtful, and it has always been that way, only now it is more evident, and it is good that it is so, because then maybe we can wake up and realize that many of the things that we believe to be real are really a lie. We don't want the day to come when we have to realize the hard way that everything we've built our lives on isn't true.
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It is almost heretical nowadays to claim that you just need to look at your surroundings and not be an expert to recognise what is real and what is surreal. In a matter as massive as what is happening now, it is easier to distinguish the lie from the truth because it lacks the subtlety, the finesse that would otherwise make one mislead. It is always good to observe the environment in which one physically lives. What are the biggest buildings, the squares that are kept the cleanest, the monuments? How much money and effort, how much architectural statement can be found? Once you realise that the most expensive and largest buildings or those that are historical monuments are often government buildings or alternately corporate or consumer buildings, it is not difficult to conclude from there that the rest are vicarious agents of the powerful.
This is particularly visible here in the city: Hospitals. By now they have so many floors or have formed themselves into villages. I have long wondered why this does not inspire anyone to ask questions.
The same can be observed in the so-called "country". What do you find? Large monocultures and fields as far as the eye can see?
If you want to see it.
I, too, have repeatedly turned a blind eye and a deaf ear, like so many people who try to live their lives under the consumer societies. Probably out of the realisation that I saw no solution.
At the moment I'm reading a lot about anarchy or hanging around on such anarchist portals. It's a good change from what else I've found.
Yes, I agree with you completely, you have to trust yourself first.
Interesting observation.
As far as I know, it is very difficult to fix the entire society as a whole, that is why I am personally more interested in finding small solutions that anyone can apply in his life, than big solutions, which require large mass movements and revolutionary changes in society. This is very unlikely to happen, and it depends on many factors and many people that it is impossible for us to control, beyond that we should not try to control that.
But insofar as I as a person, through all the actions that I do daily, can generate a positive change in my life and in my immediate environment, then, this can be seen as a small solution, a small part to solve a problem bigger than all, because it is really impossible that I alone solve the problem for everyone, but I can do what is in my power to help that happen.
It's as easy as, well, what I say in the post, just don't trust the media, stop spreading things that are false and harmful, stop giving power to those theories, and instead start generating doubt in people's heads, when talking to other people, and things like that.
Actually I believe that the only duty we have is to be good people, it is as simple as that although not for that easy, because it is always easier to do things wrong and get corrupted than to do them well. I read somewhere that, according to the Taoists, for a country to be well governed, it was only necessary for the ruler to practice virtue in all the things he did, if the ruler was virtuous, everything would go well, and everything would be ordered by itself. It is not necessary for the government to intervene in so many things, it is only necessary to practice virtue and everything will be fine.
And the more virtue there is, the less State there will be. If all people were virtuous, there would not be a single evil in society, because all evils are caused by moral deficiencies in people.
For that reason I think it is better to focus more on small solutions, on cultivating my own goodness, and ultimately, on trying to improve myself, than to focus on big solutions at large scales supporting this or that ideology, this or that movement, party, politician, etc., which probably won't make any real change.
It's like the post I made a few months ago talking about the things that we don't have but that we have to be, because it is about that, to focus on those things, which generate a change in one, and in society. I don't like to say that this type of thing is personal growth, because it is not a quantitative change but a qualitative one, in any case it would be personal improvement, and ultimately, social improvement. Because society is that, people.
Maybe my approach falls short for people who are looking for a solution to all the evils and all the injustices that exist in the world, but there really are not many options to choose from, it is not that we can really do much to solve those problems that escape from our hands, but what we can do is take care of preventing things like these from happening in the sphere in which we have power, in the things that are in our hands.
Sorry for having extended so much on the same point. It is always a pleasure to read you. Cheers!
I cannot agree more.
To accept that there are no big solutions, I actually did and do. People use to say that reducing ones lifestyle does not make a difference and to be "less harmful" does not address the ecological and psychological issues. I was thinking about this statement and first it made sense, but when I thought more about it, it sounded like an excuse.
While reducing consumption & travel may not bring enough relief on the whole, it nevertheless can lead - as a bridge - towards a more holistic form of community lives. This requires, as you mentioned rightly, that interference from governments and corporations does not take place. Governments are clueless, blind, when it comes to local phenomena and they should leave it to the locals. I am talking about time frames which are long term, like ten, twenty and more years. If this happens - eco villages which exist since decades might give proof that this is so - it can turn out that self government is more efficient, effective and people as well as animal and plant friendly.
If it fails, it fails. Failure is nothing we can avoid.
I do not believe though in one ruler or a bunch of selected rulers, for to rule, it needs a variance of different people, who are put in charge for this or that certain matter. And when they served for a particular problem or task, they give the stick away to the next ones, who might be more capable of handling a changing situation. This requires a base, a home, where not too much fluctuation takes place. Also, it requires less specialisation and "expertism" from people but teaching each other different skills on different problems and matters.
But those are only assumptions. I think the best point you made is "no government interference".
Best mindset. I think it is even a step, because things are not going to be successful at the first time.
It all depends on whether the solution consists of small changes that anyone can make in their day to day, because if it requires a lot of effort or a very large change, even on a personal level, it is unlikely that it will happen, it has to be a gradual process, take small steps towards where you want to be in terms as long as those you mention, perhaps ten, twenty, or many more years. I'm a big fan of doing things slowly and gradually, but the right way. Results may take time to arrive, but they will be permanent.