Designated Experts

Being an expert on something requires a lot of time learning and experimenting in whatever subject that something happens to be. The considerable investment of time makes it impossible for most people to become experts on very many subjects. As a result, we rely on others that have made themselves (or simply declared themselves, in most cases) experts to provide the dumbed-down version on which we base our opinions about the things we don't fully understand. Basically, if a person can convince our uninformed minds that they know more than us by saying something we don't understand, we will just take their word for it.

As an example, let's say someone says they can speak a foreign language that you have never heard spoken. Since you don't know a single word in that language, they could be speaking complete nonsense or just showing they can count to ten...their limitations are not apparent to you. If you happen to travel to a country where people speak that language and use some of the words that you were taught by your designated expert, you might find out they don't know as much as you thought.

So, what if your designated experts disagree on something? Being ignorant of the subject, you are probably going to go with the most persuasive...or the one that doesn't smell like onions. Of course, being persuasive doesn't necessarily mean being correct. It could just mean they know your prejudices, phobias or tendencies.

Okay, another example for you...global warming. There are a lot of "experts" on that subject and they don't appear to all agree (I'm not sure how much of that is part of the smokescreen, I'm not an expert). Unless you have the time, inclination, money and knowledge to do exhaustive research yourself (which would take considerable amounts of each), you have to make your assessment on the subject based on the information the "experts" provide (which also may be based on flawed data). Once again, if the message is repeated enough, a large portion of the population will believe whatever that message is...meaning those that have found a way to profit from the message will spend the money necessary to prime the pump and quiet any opposing "expert".

Taking a slight side trip for a second, why have the major corporations suddenly jumped on the "green" bandwagon? Well, one reason General Electric has "gone green" is that it sells low wattage light bulbs. If they say that replacing your present light bulbs with low wattage bulbs will "save the planet", a lot of people will go out and buy them (they neglect to mention that those bulbs use mercury, which is pretty harmful to the environment). "You don't hate the planet, do you?" Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Kind of like, "You support the troops, don't you?"

It's pretty hilarious to me that these corporate "environmentalists" have convinced a lot of people that turning off their lights for an hour will "save the planet". The premise is that power companies won't have to produce as much electricity using power plants that pollute the environment. Guess what? Those power plants produce as much electricity as they can for the life of the plant, that's how they make money. If you don't buy the electricity, it is sold to someone else, but it is still produced...it's a business. You might personally save a few cents using lower wattage bulbs or increase the crime rate in your area by turning off the street lamps, but it's definitely not preventing any pollution.

Ethanol is another thing that will "save the planet"...unless you use a coal power plant to make it, huh? It's like putting paper in the recycling bin and then watching the janitor dump it in with the rest of the trash, isn't it? Not to mention, using a food crop to make fuel, which can't be a smart thing in my mind.

Solar panels are made with toxic substances that pollute the environment.

Biodiesel production can even cause problems.

Of course, since I'm not an expert, I have to rely on other people's information...so, the data could be flawed or manipulated and I would never know.

I don't want to leave you with the impression that I'm against recycling, alternative fuels, conservation of natural resources, organic farming, renewable energy, etc...I'm not. How could anyone be against them? You might as well be pro-cancer. That is the consensus that will be used in the next round of corporate "green" propaganda to steer the true environmental movement in the direction of higher profitability and greater control.

So, turn off your lights for an hour, put in some mercury filled light bulbs, pass laws that force others to conform to the corporate "green" world view and feel good about yourself...or choose your designated "experts" very carefully.