Tag Archives: Propaganda
A Moment from the Middle Ages
Let’s consider a moment from the Middle Ages. Of course, people in the Middle Ages didn’t think they were living in “the Middle Ages.” That term was invented during the Renaissance to denote the era between Late Antiquity (after the … Continue reading
A Pop Quiz About Government
We’ve got a pop quiz today, kids. But don’t worry: There’s only one question, and it’s multiple-guess. The authors of the U.S. Constitution were greatly influenced by a book called The Spirit of the Laws. It said there were three … Continue reading
Don’t Be Misled by Biased News
Note: With a presidential election coming up, the news media are full of misleading headlines, biased reporting, and less often, outright lies. Here’s how to avoid some of the most common traps. (Originally posted on my other blog in 2018.) … Continue reading
You Have Been Deceived
You have been deceived. There’s no shame in that. You might even take it as an indirect compliment. Fake psychics love to have scientists “test” their powers because scientists are easy to fool. Scientists work with observable facts, so they … Continue reading
How Easily We Are Stampeded
Today, we lurch drunkenly from one moral panic to another. Last month, it was Covid Cooties. This month, it’s Killer Kops. Next month, it might be something else, just as alliterative and just as loosely connected to reality: whatever will … Continue reading
One Way to Reduce Fake News
Regardless of their political views, most Americans think that “fake news” is a real problem. And it is. Often on purpose. Partisans flood the media with so much disinformation that it’s hard for anyone to know what’s happening. Even the … Continue reading
What You Can Do About the World
The world can be a scary place. It is now. As one website commenter remarked: “We wake up, have breakfast, send the kids to school, walk the dog, go to work, come home and everything seems just fine, and then … Continue reading
How Not To Be Crazy
People are crazy, and it seems to be getting worse. In addition, many heavily-promoted news stories turn out to be false. The reasons are various. There’s a lot we can’t do about the situation. But there are also things we … Continue reading
The Trouble with Politics
Americans disagree about a lot. But there’s one point on which we are unanimous: Our politicians are awful. Let’s be honest: Except in the haze of partisan fervor, can anyone truly believe that Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton were the … Continue reading
Love is not the Answer
“What is the question?” Continue reading