Its shocking to realize how seldom we change our basic beliefs or
understanding when confronted with new information that normally
would affect change. Instead, we bend or ignore facts to fit our
established world view.
John Maynard Keynes once said When the facts change, I change my
opinion.
What do you do, sir? Sadly most people dont subscribe to this logical
practice. Instead, conformation bias and denial are the tools we
use to manage and manipulate information to our liking. And there
are plenty of governmental, corporate and private citizens ready
to help us accomplish this through deliberate and targeted propaganda.
The most common personal warning sign that this is happening is the
pain of cognitive dissonance, which is usually set off when new
information is in conflict with long established and dearly held
views.
Rarely do we push through this cognitive pain to reappraise our
inventory of established truths for validity or relevance. Its so
much easier to discard ugly deviations, or cherry pick information
that confirms our preferred vision, rather than conduct the top to
bottom review thats called for when the facts change. Intellectual
laziness is the polite term for this phenomenon. I think a more
honest explanation is deliberate and mostly conscious denial.
However, even when Im alert for and aware of this phenomenon, Im
still surprised how often I participate. Its frightening to see how
deeply conditioned we are in the art of self deception. The truth
hurts, so I employ the most powerful pain killer know to man, that
of denial.
Its extremely difficult to reject popular opinion and strike out
on our own independent path. Group think is indoctrinated into us
from birth and socially rewarded at every turn. Its emotionally
safer and more comfortable if you stay near the center of the pack.
Herd mentality in all its glory, which is corralled by the public
myth and which we too are the keepers.
http://www.zerohedge.com/article/end-empire--propaganda-and-american-...
End of Empire Propaganda and the American Myth Submitted by Cognitive
Dissonance<http://www.zerohedge.com/users/cognitive-dissonance> on
11/29/2009 17:15 -0500 Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first
we practice to deceive.ourselves. With apologies to Sir Walter
Scott.
If only life were as neat and orderly as my ancient history text
book showed it to be. There it was on glossy paper, spread out
across two sets of adjoining pages, maps of the ancient and modern
world. Including time lines top and bottom, with countries outlined
and identified. Underneath their modern English names were one or
two older names in smaller stylized script, often including exact
beginning and end dates. I remember one in particular that caught
my eye. United States of America followed by the year 1776. But
with no end date indicated, it looked like unfinished business to
me. Youve got to love those historians and their exact dates.
Of course, in reality there are no exact dates for the birth and
death of city/states, other than in the authors mind. Children
continue to be born, the old still die, and life goes on under
different circumstances. But youre rarely informed of the subjective
nature of historical events when youre young and impressionable,
so theyre presented in the history books as fact.
The last thing the reigning Empire wants is to appear uncertain
about previous Empires. Even before we begin to read and comprehend
on our own, were presented with the illusion of a beginning and end
to everything, often with very clear lines of demarcation. This
concept is continuously reinforced through our daily indoctrination
of carefully scripted news stories, care of our modern media saturated
existence. Naturally, critical thinking is optional and definitively
not encouraged.
Mix in a healthy dose of hard core science, where you learn very
early there are correct and incorrect answers to all your questions,
and a pattern of social myth making emerges. Of course, the correct
answers are held for public safekeeping by our cultural high priests
and authority figures, be they academic, governmental, scientific
or religious. Lest you forget, cultural icons and heroes must always
be respected and deferred to. Maybe nows a good time to remember
that most history and science books are written and re-written by
those very same keepers of the public mythology. What we believe
as a culture, sometimes called our public myth, is usually determined
by those whose pockets are the deepest or most powerful, not by
those who are the wisest and most knowledgeable.
Have you ever read a book written by the survivors of the vanquished,
the so called losers? I have, a number of times, and its usually
very enlightening to see the world from the other side of the bloody
divide. In their hands, our cultural myths arent treated with the
same loving care and respect we afford them, nor should they be.
But of course they must be lying because they have an ax to grind.
Revisionist history is how those in power politely describe the
writings of the defeated and the victims crushed in the head long
rush of conquering empire. The public myth tells us that the losers
can do nothing but taut the victorious with their lies. Ignore them
and theyll go away. Besides, the winners never lie about the facts,
though were told theres plenty of room for differences of opinion.
And just about everything can be reduced to an opinion if youre
looking to obscure.
Of course, one of the unspoken duties of the winners is to distort
the written and visual record, so that it conforms to the public
myth. This is the principle reason why recently retired or replaced
holders of powerful governmental and military positions are handed
huge advances to write their memoirs. These sacred tomes of divine
wisdom are quickly embraced by other propagandists as the truth,
the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help their Gods of
propaganda. Once in hand, its quickly woven into the fabric of the
public myth as supporting documentation. Thus another slice of the
propaganda cycle is complete and ready for its next rotation.
We possess extremely complex belief systems and world views. How
they develop and evolve is greatly influenced by external information
sources we rarely question or challenge. After all, these sources
are our cultural authority figures, the experts, professionals and
intelligentsia that form our cultural propaganda delivery and support
system. These sources cannot be seriously questioned, particularly
from within, without being declared a heretic. Just look at how
Zero Hedge, and other non-conforming web sites, are treated as an
example of how heresy is handled these days. While we may not pay
much attention to everything we hear or see, our unconscious is
absorbing it all, raw and unfiltered. This information feeds into
and supports our world view with little conscious thought or scrutiny.
This is the reason why repetition is so vitally important to effective
propaganda. Our brain always absorbs even when we do not look and
listen.
Its shocking to realize how seldom we change our basic beliefs or
understanding when confronted with new information that normally
would affect change. Instead, we bend or ignore facts to fit our
established world view.
John Maynard Keynes once said When the facts change, I change my
opinion.
What do you do, sir? Sadly most people dont subscribe to this logical
practice. Instead, conformation bias and denial are the tools we
use to manage and manipulate information to our liking. And there
are plenty of governmental, corporate and private citizens ready
to help us accomplish this through deliberate and targeted propaganda.
The most common personal warning sign that this is happening is the
pain of cognitive dissonance, which is usually set off when new
information is in conflict with long established and dearly held
views.
Rarely do we push through this cognitive pain to reappraise our
inventory of established truths for validity or relevance. Its so
much easier to discard ugly deviations, or cherry pick information
that confirms our preferred vision, rather than conduct the top to
bottom review thats called for when the facts change. Intellectual
laziness is the polite term for this phenomenon. I think a more
honest explanation is deliberate and mostly conscious denial.
However, even when Im alert for and aware of this phenomenon, Im
still surprised how often I participate. Its frightening to see how
deeply conditioned we are in the art of self deception. The truth
hurts, so I employ the most powerful pain killer know to man, that
of denial.
Its extremely difficult to reject popular opinion and strike out
on our own independent path. Group think is indoctrinated into us
from birth and socially rewarded at every turn. Its emotionally
safer and more comfortable if you stay near the center of the pack.
Herd mentality in all its glory, which is corralled by the public
myth and which we too are the keepers.
I often say all writers are essentially propagandists and that
applies to me as well. Im using this forum to cherry pick information
which I then present in the most compelling manner to make my case.
In effect, Im feeding you my spin, which along with other pieces
can be used to build a myth. The most effective propaganda is that
whose basic premise is slipped by the reader or TV viewer so smoothly
its never recognized. Once the premise is planted and accepted, the
hard work is done and the fish is quickly reeled in. Whats that you
say? Youre too smart to let the wool be pulled over your eyes? That
you can discern truth from lies and would eventually figure it out
given enough time and inclination? Honestly ask yourself, how much
effort would you put into examining something you already believe
to be true? Wouldnt you deem it a major waste of your time? Consider
the premise I put forth in the title of this article. Did you notice?
Did you question? Or did you accept and start to read?
Most people see information as chunks of data that can be
compartmentalized, examined and manipulated. But rarely do we
recognize that many of the truths we hold as impeccable are based
upon long lines of information. If at any point this information
could be proven false, the entire line is suspect, along with your
impeccable truth. Consider a long string of mathematical calculations.
While there may be dozens of individual problems with separate
answers, each answer then feeds into another calculation as a sum
or variable.
Make a mistake at any point in the line and the entire data stream
is corrupt.
How we view our world is based upon many preconceived notions and
beliefs.
Change just one small piece we previously thought correct and
everything changes to some extent. Change two or three and suddenly
we have a crisis of confidence and a cognitive dissonance. Yet when
we feel that pain, how often do we reboot and reexamine everything?
Why would you reexamine what you think you know to be correct,
particularly when most everyone else is in agreement?
Peer pressure and conditioning are hard to resist, even in the
privacy of your own mind. We are never deceived; we deceive ourselves.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe My basic premise and the basis for this
series of articles is that the American Empire is ending. In fact,
it has peaked and is now in rapid decline.
While I cant offer an exact date for this change of direction, it
doesnt diminish my argument in the least. Id be hard pressed to
give you the date for the decline of the Roman Empire, but clearly
it followed the same trajectory. Did Romes downward spiral start
when the capital was moved to Constantinople in 330 AD? Or when
Rome was sacked by the Visigoths in 410 AD?
It matters little at this point, except to the historians. While
America descends, China and India ascend.
Actually I would argue that while Empires come and go, the culture
of environmental and human exploitation and destruction we call
civilization has grown in efficiency over the past 3000 years. We
Americans now stand proudly at the pinnacle of the insanity, picking
up where the Romans and Europeans left off. Ill leave that thought
for another day but I think you get my point.
America as a social and financial entity ceased to function at peak
efficiency decades ago. This rapid decline is the main reason behind
the massive increase in financial engineering, which is now coming
apart at the seams, deliberately in my view. To argue over this or
that detail is to be in denial of the obvious. In fact, I consider
the official bickering over these details as a deliberate attempt
to distort and distract while the final looting and rape occurs.
Using propaganda and other psychological operations, our leaders
lie about the economic condition of America. They do so not because
they expect the lie to withstand close scrutiny, but rather to
enable those who wish to believe the lie a plausible excuse to do
so. Remember our conditioning. When in doubt, defer to authority
and suspend disbelief.
A classic sales technique is the assumed consent close. Rather than
directly asking you to purchase this new car, I simply assume you
are purchasing and begin asking you closing questions. Do you prefer
the red one we looked at first or the blue convertible with the
beige interior? Could you please get your insurance card out of the
glove box before you clean out your car? Just sign here and here.
Thanks. Youd be surprised how many new automobiles, rooms of household
furniture, whole life insurance, variable annuities and pieces of
expensive jewelry are sold in this manner. Something similar to
this technique is being used by the mass media to sell us something
we already wish to buy. Only they arent selling the death of America,
but rather its remarkable resilience and miraculous comeback. Were
being sold false hope, disguised as assumed consent questions such
as, should we audit the Fed, can we expand healthcare with a public
option, will Son of Stimulus be rolled out by the first or second
quarter of 2010, should we..well, you get the picture.
False hope binds us to impossible conditions and situations. Please
read that statement again and then let it sink in for a minute.
As long as we believe theres residual value in keeping America on
life support, well continue to pour borrowed money into this mess,
rather than roll up the derivatives, fire the managers and start
over. We dont wish to face the reality that were in way over our
heads. As long as were not forced to look too closely at the horrible
condition our countrys in, were all too willing to do our part and
avoid applying critical thinking to the subject.
Like an old bull unknowingly led to slaughter because he thinks hes
off to mount another cow, were desperately trying to keep alive the
magical American myth of life, liberty and apple pie while shielding
our eyes from the rotting corpse its rapidly becoming.
Thats probably too harsh for the average Americans sensibilities,
but lets ask ourselves a few questions in an effort to find the
truth, or at least something approaching the truth as we know it.
Let me be clear on something before I get flamed for my harsh tongue.
Im not America bashing in the least.
Im America myth bashing. The American myth of exceptionalism is
enabling her destruction as we stand idly by, applauding the mythical
facade our leaders and media display 24/7. As long as we cling to
the hope that all she needs is a tune up and some minor repairs,
were condemned to a long and painful death spiral. Were being sold
exactly what we want to hear when we need to hear it.
To claim otherwise is to lie to ourselves and to each other.
America is crumbling from the foundation up, and yet we gather
around the TV, talking about a fresh paint job and a new screen
door, both bought on credit, while handing our grandchildren a bill
theyll never be able to pay. The only way we can live with this lie
while perpetrating these despicable acts upon our own family members
is to deny its even happening. The big lie, which we must continue
to tell ourselves, has taken on a life of its own and is consuming
everyone and everything in its path. We are addicted to our own
public myth and to sustain the lie, we simply ignore the truth. The
only way to break through this lie is to go back through decades
of propaganda and myth and find out what went wrong. Since this
would be too painful, both individually and as a society, we distort
reality as quickly as we change cable channels. Its not just our
leaders who are corrupt but we as well.
We have become cowardly, unwilling to commit to the tough decision
of setting aside instant gratification in order to assure our
grandchildren a home to live in. This is the ultimate act of
selfishness, compounded by the fact that we claim weve been hijacked
by our leaders. Sadly, our leaders are doing exactly what we want
them to do, which is to continue the lie. Did we really think we
could put our toys and war machines on the charge card and not worry
about the bill, just because some politicians said we could? What
are we, 5 year olds, pointing our fingers elsewhere when asked who
broke the vase? Even if we personally followed the path of fiscal
prudence, why didnt we scream bloody murder, demanding we stop this
insanity before the country began its suicidal plunge? Why do we
still remain silent? Our hands are bloody and the only question is,
how much is yours and how much is mine. Citizenship is all about
individual responsibility, something weve been avoiding for a while
now, at least since we started calling ourselves consumers.
Look at the endless propaganda on TV thats used to lull us back
into a drugged stupor, so we dont dwell on what were doing to our
childrens children. American flags wave in the background as chiseled
men and full breasted women expound on how wonderful we are for
building and loving this great nation of ours. The great American
love story, brought to you nightly on prime time TV. This is where
the bad guys always loose, men are men and women are sexual objects
to lust after. Watch closely children, this is the American dream.
Why wouldnt we love America the myth? Its everything we want without
the pain. Nationalism is our unifying religion, a potentially fatal
addiction to our public myth that enables us to fiddle while America
burns. More drugs over here doctor, the patients waking up.
So how do we deal with this, and what does this have to do with
Zero Hedge?
Well, I would say it has everything to do with ZH, but then again
Im just a propagandist, weaving my magical myth. But to be honest,
in desperation Im seeking another way, a different path. Im tired
of moving in and out of the various stages of loss and grief. One
moment Im screaming at my zombie neighbor, imploring him to wake
up and see the insanity. The next Im filled with self righteous
indignation as another patsy bankers head is placed on the public
pike. Sometimes I start my morning bargaining with unseen powers,
begging for a truce or cease fire, only to end my day crying in my
hands in fear and frustration of it all. And Im not alone.
Zero Hedge seems to be a refuge for the walking wounded, a safe
haven inside occupied territory for the psychically damaged and
demoralized. But we need more than rest and relaxation in order to
regain our feet. We need to heal and grow our ranks, to find a way
to help ourselves and those who follow us into the refuge. Surrounded
by lies and deceit, we are indoctrinated to such an extent that we
still speak the language of denial without realizing it. We have
no choice but to start at the beginning. While Zero Hedge speaks
truth to power, we need to speak truth to ourselves, to talk openly
about what has happened and where were going. Part of the seduction
of denial is the avoidance of personal responsibility. In my view
this must stop, thus my declaration that were all responsible for
this mess. I have no doubt America can be repaired but the process
starts at the personal level.
From a financial point of view, Im sure weve all held a winning
trade past its prime, giving back money we should have booked. And
who hasnt kept a dog way too long, when we should have thrown it
overboard months ago? While Im certain there are multiple reasons
for poor investment performance, a fearless and thorough examination
often shows that bad investment decisions are the result of personal
shortcomings, such as wishful thinking or denial. For myself, when
this happens, I find Ive violated one or more of my trading rules.
They are as follows.
One, know myself, particularly my strengths and weaknesses. Two,
know my trading environment or dont play in the sandbox. Three,
always consider the other side of trade. If Im buying, why is the
other guy selling? If Im selling, why is the other guy buying? Look
for weakness in my thinking. Four, from time to time, mentally clear
my computer screen of existing positions and then follow step three
with each holding. If I wouldnt buy or sell it now, why am I holding
it? Five, trust my instincts, not my heart. My heart lies to me all
the time with plenty of help from my brain. Instinctually I usually
know when to buy or sell but often I ignore my gut feeling and wind
up screwing the pooch. Over the years Ive found that too much
thinking gets in the way and often makes things worse.
These trading rules, as with life itself, requires a clear eyed
view and a deeper understanding of ourselves, our fellow man and
the real world, not as we wish to see it but as it really is.
Unfortunately we still engage in wishful thinking way too often,
constantly pushing the hope dope button and regretting it afterwards.
Considering the direction our world is headed, its going to be more
difficult to think clearly unless we make personal changes.
Old habits die hard because we desperately cling to them for emotional
support. Understanding why we do this will go a long way to helping
us jettison that old baggage. Even if we are trapped on the crazy
train to hell, just because we cant get off doesnt mean we must
participate in the insanity.
So with the active participation of my fellow Zero Hedge readers,
I would like to continue this exploration in a series of End of
Empire articles, each time focusing on a different aspect of the
unraveling. We need to develop our intellectual, emotional and
financial coping techniques. Of particular importance to me will
be the comments and feedback I get from you, for I assure you I
dont have all the answers. This isnt a rally to arms but rather a
cry for help. Either we heal as a community or we continue to
hemorrhage, alone and isolated. Its going to be a wild ride so lets
buckle up and do this together. After all, theres safety in numbers,
inside the new herd mentality of Zero Hedge.