Log 2-9-13 / We should think critically about what we read in the internet. Agreed….But…

Today I met with my tiny Singaporean community – during breakfast, a loud mouth who kept telling everyone on the table during breakfast – we should all exercise our critical thinking about what we all regularly read in the internet. As presumably there are so many lies, disinformation and misinformation etc etc online.

All in all, I happen to agree with this person. Infact, I agreed with him to such an extent that I even suggested we would do well to consider extending the same critical thinking skills to what we regularly read in the MSM. As presumably there are also so many lies, disinformation and misinformation etc etc in the MSM.

“I don’t believe for one moment. It’s possible to ask thinking folk to exercise caution, judgement and wisdom when it comes to reading material in the internet and to assume that they will not do the same when they read, see or hear reportage, opinions and comments that are regularly churned out by the MSM.

A philosophical question that is seldom ever discussed is, can repressive regimes who regularly engineer consent via the media really tolerate the whole idea of people who can think critically. Now think about this deeply…I reckon if you follow this train of thought to its logical end. You will soon discover that this cannot possibly serve the imperative of these bent governments in the long run.

As the same skill sets i.e (critical thinking skills) that they advocate for internet material. Can very easily be levelled on the MSM. And if that is the case, thinking folk can only get more disillusioned and disheartened as what is so often represented by the MSM and reality bears so very little resemblance to each other that it can only amplify the dissonance between theory and reality.

Look! Let be come to the point directly, instead of beating about the bush. Understand this! No government, least of all – a repressive govt’s who has no compunction with rolling out the world’s most repressive internet laws (without even the merest consultation and debate)  would ever want their citizens to think critically.

Ask yourself – cui bono? (who benefits?) As what if ordinary citizens manage to connect the dots….what if they ask, why is the PM talking about exams, housing and medical insurance when he should talk ONLY about jobs, jobs, jobs….what if they ask, where are we all heading too with this mindless chase to grow the economy at every cost and opportunity….what if they ask, who really stands to benefit from all this?

I hope you are now internally persuaded as to why no government can ever afford it’s citizens to think critically. I call this the paradox of thinking critically.”