My vodka bottle's running low and I needed something to do to relax from reading my students' papers so I violated my rule about not watching television news. In particular, my wife mentioned that Jesse Ventura's "Conspiracy Theory" is on truTV. I'm watching the episode where a guy was talking about a nuclear bomb on the phone and the FBI came to his home six hours later because they can listen in via satellite. I think Jesse Ventura is performing a major public service. Whether the power plant in Alaska is really a Tesla death ray machine or there were bombs used at the World Trade Center on 9/11 are grist for Ventura's imagination.
What I think is especially important about this program is that it suggests that a large number of Americans have little or no trust in the government or the run of the mill media analysis and so emphasize conspiracy theories. In a sense this is a diversion because the underlying problems are ignored. Moreover, the conspiracy theories re enforce the sense of powerlessness that many feel. But belief in conspiracy theories is a beginning. The next step ought to be analysis, uncovering issues that are controllable. Then, empowerment is necessary so that people who have become alienated from the government can act on their concerns.
Many people have little faith in our government because it is too large. The element of participation and control is lost with the enormity of the American state. This leads to a sense that shadowy powers are in control. This may be close to the truth, although the conspiracies that Ventura emphasizes at most are symptomatic, if they are real.
The American state needs to be downsized through decentralization. I'm not sure if "Conspiracy Theory" is empowering Americans or if it is just re enforcing their sense that Big Brother is out of control. But I believe in the show's spirit to a much greater degree than say NPR, which apparently is now under George Soros's control and censorship.
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2 comments:
I think that even if there is no evidence of wrongdoing it is still the job of a citizen to think of questions. Governments do not love their people, and its the people who must always demand proof, always put the government feet to the fire - else corruption grows.
Conspiracy theorists do humanity a great service.
I was thinking about this post today and why some people believe in UFO's and that aliens may be running the government.
I think that the forces that operate within government are alien to most peoples everyday experience. I do not believe that most people have experienced the degree of licentiousness that has infected the more powerful parts of society. I think that psychopathy is more readily accepted rather than immediately frowned upon due to this sickness of licentiousness.
I have seen the incredible licentiousness, and it is really hard to make any sense of it, or even believe it, even after you've see it with your own eyes.
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