5 results for author: Rick Lohr

Democracy Can Quell Fake Conspiracy Theories

We live in an uncertain era. Uncertainty breeds a quest for security, a sense of control and meaning in life. That makes all of us marks for people on the make looking for someone to con. The media and internet are filled with all sorts of messages that play to specific vulnerabilities of certain groups of people. There is money to be made and power to be garnered. One of the main techniques is to spawn fake conspiracy theories. How can we tell when we are being subjected to a conspiracy theory? Is it possible to tell what is a real conspiracy and what is a fake one? It takes some effort, but it can be done. It is difficult, mainly because ...

Science

What is science? Science has become a segregated branch of knowledge practiced by those who apply its methods in a systematic way. In reality, we all practice science. It is our method of learning through trial and error. We see a problem, devise a way to solve it, and try various techniques to come to a successful solution. The universe was created by bringing order to the chaos that proceeded it. That order is understandable by humans who have developed critical faculties to pose questions, propose answers and test results. People who are specialized in this technique, we have labeled as scientists, but we all really practice the craft. ...

Confirmation Bias

American society is suffering from a bad case of “confirmation bias.”  What is “confirmation bias”?  That is where one selects evidence that agrees with one’s own opinions. That is bad enough, but in our digital world, increasingly, the selection of evidence is being done by media corporate giants. When we “like” some post on Facebook, that “like” goes into an algorithm that creates an individual profile of our purchasing, political, social and racial tendencies.  Decisions based on what sources will be directed toward one’s inbox will be a reflection of the previous choices one has made. Our identity as human beings becomes ...

The Social in Political/Economic Society

One of the dominate themes in American society is that of rugged individualism. Individualism is a key to American society, but it exists within social perimeters. We exist in a social environment in thought, property ownership, economy, and innovation. We are not isolated individuals carving out our lives on our own intelligence, talent, and initiative. Instead, we exist, and operate in, a functioning society. A functioning society means a legal framework, social investments, and a knowledge base that allows people and businesses to operate within consistent, and predictable boundaries. It is this societal framework that allows personal and business ...

Manliness in a techno-digital economy

There is a ubiquitous ad on television where a young man whistles for his wife’s Christmas gift, a dog comes running through the snow, and jumps into her arms. The wife then whistles and a new, big, pickup comes bounding out of the snow. The wife nods to the husband, yes, that’s your gift. He wraps himself around the truck in an emotional hug. What’s going on here? The wife is becoming attached to a sentient being. The dog responds to her affection. The husband is hugging a machine. It is a large machine that can enlarge his vision of himself as a man. Driving it will give him prestige and that macho feel of having a large machine at one’s ...