Is information the counter to ignorance?

I am probably just like everyone else here. I know there isn't something quite right in the world. I wanted to find out what it was. So I turned to people like Alex Jones, Jason Bermas, Noam Chomsky, and, other people. I also looked online and found all of these kinds of blogs from libertarian websites, and, socialist websites detailing all the problems of the world. Little did I know at the time that this was just the understanding of the world from people who already have their world-view, and, already have a contemporary understanding of events.

I've lately been taking the time to stay more informed with the world of politics. I have been reading the newspaper. I read the front section from cover to cover. I also do that in addition to watching television. And I also will read political magazines. I try to use news mediums that offer a wide variety of views. I think in the past I used to be like other people who watch the news... I think people too much nowadays used to be like me. They would rather watch the person, or, listen to the person giving the information and rely on them for facts. What's important is not the person but the information you're getting. You need to know that the information that you're getting is accurate and true.

Just how else would you be able to form an opinion on the world if the information were getting was false? I feel that accessing a variety of views gives me the upper hand on partisan talking heads, and, I'm usually able to form up my own opinions based on my knowledge of what's going on. Journalists, rather than tell people the news, now use the news as a platform to bring other people to their persuasion.

I think that having access to information is how one can counter this ignorance and reliance on mainstream talking heads. I don't know about you but that's how I see it. You don't even need someone from alternative media to tell you how to think. It's better in my opinion to have all of the information available out in front of you so you can make decisions on your own than to just need someone else always to tell you what to think.

Originally posted by Frankidealist35

I think that having access to information is how one can counter this ignorance and reliance on mainstream talking heads. I don't know about you but that's how I see it. You don't even need someone from alternative media to tell you how to think. It's better in my opinion to have all of the information available out in front of you so you can make decisions on your own than to just need someone else always to tell you what to think.

S&F. Great OP.

I agree, btw.

...I also think that having free access to information is the foundation of real freedom. Without free access to information, we are ignorant - and unfree.




[edit on 17-4-2010 by soficrow]

Yep information is power but false info gets you nowhere, but it does give you critical thinking, which someone like alex jones does not have, and others in truth movement.

I stay away from all media, now and again i look at newsclips on youtube, but that thirst dies out after a week or two.

You soon find things you can trust in, but it is yourself that decides, and the ptb do not like it now, but they cannot really take the net from us now.

Originally posted by andy1033
Yep information is power but false info gets you nowhere, but it does give you critical thinking, ...

That's the point. The more information you have, the more likely you are to see the contradictions and start thinking for yourself. And that be freedom.

...the ptb do not like it now, but they cannot really take the net from us now.

Sorry, but. They can, and they will if we don't stop them. ...Net filtering started big time around 2003, and it's getting worse all the time.

Information is the counter to ignorance as long as its not being ignored

Problem is to many people still do as you and most of us used to do and not verify the information they are hearing but relying on the evening news. All main stream media (MSM) now days is skewed because all the MSM outlets are owned by the same people pushing thier agenda.

The internet has allowed folks to make up thier own minds more but there is still a lot of BS to sift through. At least it is still a free market of information unlike the MSM. They are trying to control it now too.

Good post!

Massive information dissemination, like the internet, only serves to have more educated people on both sides of the same issue or both sides of the paradigm further clouding the issues.

Unfortunately not all have the time, the perception or the intelligence to filter through convoluted theories and concepts to get at the truth if it's even represented. Often, many, make up their minds before all information has been considered or presented forcing them to stand, even violently, for their presupposed opinion denying any new evidence to the contrary.

The water is already muddied - adding more muddy water makes one drown.

In my some 35 years perusing conspiracy theories, political rhetoric and intellectual discourse I have found that the increase in information has been countered bya proportionate increase in disinformation.

The left/right - conservative/liberal - STO/STS - polarity paradigm has not changed a bit. The individual sides have a greater abundance of more complicated verbal artillery to throw at each other.

Just my thoughts off the top of my head.

If you've ever played "mafia" or "werewolf" you'll know that the more discussion there is, even if a lot of it is disinformation, the better chance you have at identifying the 'mafia' players when you are town.

In fact the most effective strategy possible as mafia is to say nothing for several days, and watch as the town is too hesitant to lynch you, saying that you are probably just uninterested in the game. Some of the town will accuse you, others in the town will accuse the people accusing you, spreading disinformation among themselves unintentionally and because of assumptions.

I really think that ATS should play this game as an exercise every so often, to prove the point.

The more the mafia talks, even if they are successfully tricking the town or evading notice, the more likely they are to get caught eventually no matter how much of a wordsmith they are.

The more disinformation thrown at us, as long as honest people are chiming in, and even when it makes it "impossible" to distinguish between truly incriminating things and disinfo/lies, the better.

Information is only a counter to ignorance when it becomes internalized and becomes Wisdom - Wisdom being Knowledge applied.

Very little of the information flying around these days is important, relevant, correct, or well intentioned. Instead it is unimportant, irrelevant, incorrect, and ill-intentioned.

Who's internalizing what? - and doing what with it?

Star + Flag

no

Information is only part of the equation.
What is the sound of one hand clapping?

I am starting to doubt my original premise that I made with this thread. I think that information is a counter to ignorance but like now with what other people have been saying when you're given false information and false logic you're left with nothing. I would also question my original premise, when I would just go to all of these people that I thought were the bastion of the truth.

But all these people like Noam Chomsky and Naomi Wolf or Alex Jones are just looking at all the information that's already out there and they're creating their own picture of what's really going on, and they're saying their own conception about what's going on. I am finding that it's more information is important but that research is also must more important in being educated and knowing how to think for yourself. Once you know about certain topics and certain issues than you don't have to have these other people think for you. You can think for yourself.

I guess information is only one half of that and the other half of it is using your own mind and making your own judgments. Making your own judgments is different from having other people do it and from telling you how to think. It means taking what other people say and looking at your research and being able to critically analyze it.