(This is a continuation of the blog Lying with the Truth from 3 days ago.)
All the disinformation that rains down on us flows from a single basic myth: the leadership of society is taking care of things. The situation is under control. It’s a myth. Seen in a historical perspective, we are breaking the speed limits on a highway to hell.
Military spending and weapon sales are going through the roof. Conflicts are spreading everywhere. Surprise! Surprise. 1% of the cost of military spending could feed every hungry child in the world.
Inequality grows larger and ever more vulgar for every minute.
Greenhouse gases are pouring into the atmosphere at a greater rate than ever before with an equivalent increase in the rate of global warming.
I won’t disturb you with addition facts. Just remember today’s picture. We see the soldiers of (dis)information shouting, analyzing and jokingly explaining how the good guys in the background will take care of us. Believe it at your peril!
“Failure to respond to that challenge (global warming) will stall and then reverse international efforts to reduce poverty. The poorest countries and most vulnerable citizens will suffer the earliest and most damaging setbacks, even though they have contributed least to the problem.”
Human Development Report 2007/2008
“The people in control are out of control.”
Dartwill Aquila
And where have you been until this hour? Has someone been tempting you to taste an apple again?
“My mind keeps telling my body what to do.
My body doesn’t listen.”
Dartwill Aquila
Come right in! Bring your friends with you!
Let the kids run wild.
Talk to the old people!
Help those who need help!
You can have God with you,
but leave your religion at home!
“Doubt strengthens belief.”
Dartwill Aquila
This photo shows that strips of black wood promote the growth of plants. That’s not a very scientific conclusion, but an introduction to how our mass media makes statements like this all the time.
A whole-page headline in a prestigious national newspaper declares: World Poverty Halved Since 1990. (SvD; July 4, 2013)
Under that bold-faced announcement the article sprays us with facts to instill joy and hope about developments in the world. Before popping the cork on the champagne bottle, we might want to consider some neglected? facts.
This great reduction deals exclusively with ”extreme” poverty as measured by living on $1.25 or less a day. China is never mentioned even though it alone accounts for 90% of the reduction.
Despite the headline speaking of world poverty in general, the article only relates reduction in extreme poverty. 40% of the world still live on $2.60 or less per day. 50% on $3.14 or less and a full 80% on $5.15 or less. Need I mention that less than $5.15 a day falls below the poverty line.
Not only is the reduction of general poverty nominal, and predominantly in China, it is less than during the 20 years previous to the UN initiative that started in 1996.
The article also mentions decreases in health problems such as malaria, tubercles and HIV while neglecting? to mention the increases in cancer, diabetes I & II, polio, allergies, brain tumors, mental diseases and the ”epidemic” of suicides.
Articles like this explain how a friend of mine could claim that poverty wasn’t a serious problem in the world today. If 80% of the people of the world struggle below the poverty line, at what point does poverty become a (serious) problem? Isn’t it already as serious as believing the mass media?
(to be continued…)
“It takes a lot of information to bury knowledge and even more to bury truth.”
Dartwill Aquila
The cogs no longer turn and the cable no longer pulls,
but the weeds grow.
The weeds, nature’s foot-soldiers, continue their march.
“Nature’s clock never stops and is always on time.”
Dartwill Aquila
“We are not going to find our answers by following the questions of the rulers.”
Dartwill Aquila
“Those in charge sing elegant tales claiming the victims are at fault.”
Dartwill Aquila
Andreas Fuglesang explains in his book ”about understanding”* how the strength and health of a society depends on the flow of information throughout the community.
People in modern societies process information poorly. We merely amplify the messages that pour down from the heights of wealth and power. Our clothing promotes the brand of one corporation or another. We function as walking advertisements for the products we wear or the places we’ve been, or a school, country, team or event that has zero information value to the other citizens we encounter. We rarely use our clothing to express our own concerns or wishes, but parrot instead what money’s masters want to get said. We’ve been driven so far that we think it’s cool to be an advertising post. Free speech is embarrassing, disturbing and truth is definitely out of style.
*(I very strongly recommend Andreas’ book. It can be read for free thanks to the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation: about understanding)
“Your silence is golden to the people gathering gold.”
Dartwill Aquila
Hitler was a vegetarian.
It couldn’t be seen.
No more than his passionate hate could be seen
by the mustache he borrowed
from Charlie Chaplin.
Hitler was a student of the arts.
He took history seriously
and knew the Greek roots of the swastika.
Yet he could talk to the people
in the people’s tongue
and to the powerful in terms of power.
He was quite talented.
Or did you believe that he was elected by chance?
Or that he organized and equipped a nation
on his charisma?
Or that the fruit of success
springs from a faulty flower?
The man was obviously talented.
He achieved a place of honor
in Mass Murderers’ Hall of Fame.
He could love as well.
He fell in love with Eva to the music of Bach
and the rhythm of unwritten popular tunes.
He treated her tenderly
and cried secrets on her bosom
that his generals never dreamed of.
On top of all that he was intelligent.
Very intelligent.
Don’t try to remake the key of intelligence
in order to lock him out.
You’ll only lock yourself in.
Don’t imprison your logic in a cell of wishes!
The man was intelligent – unfortunately.
Unfortunately intelligence need not court morality.
Cain’s IQ was equal that of Abel’s.
Unfortunately foolishness unites easily with intelligence.
Brutus was the choice of Caesar.
Unfortunately our enemies are both talented and intelligent.
How easy it would otherwise be.
If you make a monster of your enemy
you won’t even notice him
before his fangs are on your throat.
“You own no responsibility for the past,
and cannot decline your heritage of the future.”
Dartwill Aquila
The text on this grave encourages the disappearance of the memory of the person buried here. He claims to be a friend of God and has no need to occupy the thoughts of mortals.
Wow! Talk about self-confidence. How many of us live a life that could qualify us to be a friend of God?
“Young Miss Nobody died in 1919
on the 21st of June
She wasn’t even 16
The Nobodys said, “Much too soon.”
Many Nobodys died in 1919
on every day of the year
Some were kind, some were mean
Nobodys said, “Oh dear, oh dear.”
Nobodys have died since time began
Hardly noticed; as when they came
History eats them quick as it can
And nobody remembers Nobodys’ name.”
Dartwill Aquila
How many specks of life work with the sun
to keep us warm
to sweeten our air
to please our vision
to feed our bodies
to wing our soul
to paint our smile
to shape our truth
to prepare our love
to make us whole?
“What do we know about the ambition of an atom,
the desires of a molecule
or the imagination of a seed?”
Dartwill Aquila
System Humanity 