The age of ignorance

Call me a coastal elite and you’ll be making my point. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s begin.

One of the many disappointments of the Trump era is not only the emergence of  “alternative facts” and downright disregard for truth, it is the certainty and defensiveness of those holding to clearly ill founded notions of reality. For example, on Facebook recently, the wisdom of getting flu shots drew comments both pro and con. There are legitimate reasons for someone to choose to forgo yearly flu shots. But some of the reasons cited for not getting a flu shot were gross exaggerations or simply not true. When I pointed out that flu shots save lives, one reply stated, “they also claim lives.” That comment drew support from somebody asserting that “everyone” who gets a flu shot gets the flu. Without belaboring the point, it is true that in rare cases a severe allergic reaction might lead to a death. And someone getting a flu shot might still get the flu, particularly in years when the strains chosen don’t match the predominant varieties afflicting people. But these exceptions are casually cited as if dominant reality in an attempt to discredit the benefits of an important public health tool. The point here is not to argue about whether or not to get vaccinated. Simply, it’s to point out that popular gossip and hearsay, in some quarters, take on the status of settled fact sometimes masquerading as greater wisdom.

The most disturbing part of this is that alternative facts, deliberate misinformation, are being promoted by not only the President of the United States, but political and cultural partisans with the intention of deceiving those who will believe anything that re-enforces their own points of view. The notion of testing hypothesis and critically evaluating information is not nearly as important to them as proving that they are right especially when they are dead wrong. If you don’t like what someone says, call it “fake news.” Truly fake news should be recognized and exposed. But having the critical thinking skills to be a literate news consumer is the foundation for making such judgments.

I’m afraid Bob Dylan nailed it decades ago in “Idiot Wind”, though today’s context is different. “Now everything’s a little upside down, as a matter of fact the wheels have stopped, what’s good is bad, what’s bad is good, you’ll find out when you reach the top, you’re on the bottom.” 

I, and those who might share my views, have no monopoly on wisdom and knowledge. But respect for wisdom, knowledge, and truth have to re-emerge as important values in today’s discourse. This should not be a “right/left” conflict. It is simply about respecting truth.

May the USA and countries of the world, along with the greater universe, survive the celebration of ignorance that has become so popular today.

An open letter to President Trump

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The Honorable Donald J. Trump

President of the United States

Dear Mr. President:

I write to you today as one who opposed your candidacy and spoke out against your rhetoric, proposals, and platform.

Though we have never met, I feel as though I know you. After all, we both grew up in Queens and are in the same general age group. I wrote a few months ago about the way good bull shitters are regarded in the New York area. Having a “good line of bullshit” is not necessarily a bad thing. Surely you realize, however, that many of our countrymen and women actually take you at your word. When confronted with some of your more outrageous statements, and I am paraphrasing here, Mike Pence replied “that’s Donald,” the implication being to not always take you literally. Unfortunately for all of us, in your current role, words matter more than ever.

You are quick to invoke the charge of  “fake news” when something reported in the media is not to your liking. And your attacks against specific news organizations and reporters remind many of the way authoritarian leaders suppress opposition in countries whose values are diametrically opposed to historically American governance. You have the most compelling platform in the world to offer your version of events and policies. But when your spokeswoman suggests that your press secretary offered “alternative facts” the impression is that you operate in an alternative universe. As the late New York Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan taught, “everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.”

You and your candidacy deepened divisions in our country and coarsened the dialogue. Yes, we were deeply divided before you ran, but most leaders try to bring people together. You had an opportunity to reach out to those who opposed you throughout the inaugural weekend but chose instead a combative stance that furthered division.

I will continue to oppose your positions and policies with which I mostly disagree. You were elected by people who knew what you intended to do as president. But it’s time to raise your game and recognize that great leaders grow. Find a softer more humble pitch. Take aim at the hateful rhetoric that some of your coalition delights in projecting. Tweet about that. You won the election. Instead of attacking celebrities who challenge you—remember you were an opposition celebrity before you became a politician—show some respect for the opposition. That’s the only way you’ll earn the respect you want from them and the millions of Americans who voted against you.

I will end by saying I don’t expect this letter to make much difference in the way you govern. For the sake of our great nation, I  hope I am wrong.

Thank you.