Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: LindyBill who wrote (208772)	6/18/2007 9:25:08 AM
From: DMaA	Respond to of 793917

Amateur doesn't mean bozo. Only a few years ago the best athletes in the world were amateurs and in a few sports that's still true. People devote their hearts and souls to their avocations. Charles Ives made his living selling insurance but wrote some of the most influential music of the early 20th century. Actually he owned his own insurance company - I manipulated the facts subtly to add emotional impact to my argument. We've actually stumbled on an important topic here. There is nothing wrong with allowing yourself to be emotionally manipulated as long as you know it's a game. It's a game that's been played since cave men started telling stories. The content providers have recently made leaps in their ability to do their part. I sobbed at the scene in Titanic where the Irish mother dealt with the tragedy by tucking her children into bed and telling them a story. But part of me was analyzing my reaction and thinking - man these guys are good. This is emotional play and play is healthy and constructive - it can prepare you emotionally for the real tragedies life throws your way. But this game has taken an ominous turn. The old rules were they tell us a story; we suspend our critical thinking and enjoy the ride. Now they look us right in the eye and lie to us - tell us what were are seeing isn't a story, it's the truth. The first time I became aware of this phenomenon was in the movie Fargo. At the beginning of the movie is a title that says the following story is based on actual events. To this day when the topic of conversation turns to Fargo someone will pipe up and tell us that the story actually took place. It didn't. The Cohen’s have said they put that title there to give the movie a bigger emotional impact. Why is this important? Al Gore and Michael Moore, for just two, are using the tools of emotional manipulation to sell us lies. People watch their movies, and after a sleepless night get up and join the army that's changing the world. Movie schools are actively studying and teaching the techniques of Leni Riefenstahl. Not that they want to sell Nazism, but a lot of people openly admire her genius at manipulating the German people into madness and would like to be able to do that themselves. These reality shows are training grounds that are conditioning us to believe what we're told. And what horrors are we being prepared to believe? I told Unclewest that it was just a silly TV show. I was wrong. It’s deadly serious.