General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIgnorance is a Virus
One thing America has in abundance: STUPID. A whole lot of STUPID - mostly from the conservative side of it's collective mindset. Climate change deniers. Anti-science, fact-averse zealots. Government-haters. Gun-toting, greedy, ignorant, racist, sexist psychopaths. Our own American Taliban exhibits a form of mental Ebola. It is also - like its biological counterpart - contagious, insidious, and deadly.
Millions hope this assinine conservative insanity will be the death of itself and it probably will. Unfortunately, it will likely take the rest of us with it.
lpbk2713
(42,766 posts)It would be a major step in the right direction.
But alas, there's that pesky ole Bill of Rights.
:snap:
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)Transparency in our government and political machines would be a very nice start. In addition, restore the ban on propaganda aimed at Americans.
Obama taps "cognitive infiltrator" Cass Sunstein for Committee to create "trust" in NSA:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023512796
Salon: Obama confidants spine-chilling proposal: Cass Sunstein wants the government to "cognitively infiltrate" anti-government groups
http://www.salon.com/2010/01/15/sunstein_2/
The US government's online campaigns of disinformation, manipulation, and smear.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024560097
Snowden: Training Guide for GCHQ, NSA Agents Infiltrating and Disrupting Alternative Media Online
http://21stcenturywire.com/2014/02/25/snowden-training-guide-for-gchq-nsa-agents-infiltrating-and-disrupting-alternative-media-online/
The influx of corporate propaganda-spouting posters is blatant and unnatural.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3189367
U.S. Repeals Propaganda Ban, Spreads Government-Made News To Americans
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023262111
The goal of the propaganda assaults across the internet is not to convince anyone of anything.*
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023359801
The government figured out sockpuppet management but not "persona management."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023358242
The Gentleman's Guide To Forum Spies (spooks, feds, etc.)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4159454
Seventeen techniques for truth suppression.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4249741
Just do some Googling on astroturfing - big organizations have some sophisticated tools.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=1208351
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
(14,733 posts)But his metaphor doesn't work.
From one of many dictionaries - Ignorance is a state of being uninformed (lack of knowledge).
You don't 'spread' ignorance. It's the ground state - as a human you start out ignorant on every topic, and through your experiences, you gain knowledge. He should have gone with 'misinformation' or some similar word for that quote.
Triana
(22,666 posts)I usually differentiate between ignorance and stupidity: ignorance is simply not knowing. Stupidity is refusing to learn when good, scientific information and facts are right in front of your nose - aka "willful ignorance"
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)AZ Progressive
(3,411 posts)It is promoting stupid thinking and is going to usher in a dark ages in America if this war isn't fought.