Nobody knows what to believe anymore. We’ve lost our faith in our mainstream leaders. We no longer trust the government. We think the media is deceiving us. We think the experts are always wrong. We no longer trust any of them.
We believe we are being cynically manipulated for reasons of power, control and wealth.
We think are being lied to and exploited.
So who do we believe?
Some of us turn to the internet and seek out sites that give us a different perspective. We’d rather trust them. But are they giving a true picture or have they just got a different agenda?
Some go with their gut feelings and decide what to believe for themselves. But what real information do they have to base these decisions on?
Some choose to follow a dissenting voice and latch on to everything they say. But can they be trusted? Do they have access to superior information?
But if we do not believe the experts who do we believe? If we think that all the scientists have been bought off by big business where is the information coming from? If we think the politicians are either in it for themselves or in the pocket of the multinationals and wealthy then who can we vote for?
We splinter into tribal groups. We look for simplistic answers.
It seems to me that this makes us ripe for the stories put out by extremist groups and fundamentalist religions. They can paint a nice black and white picture that is very appealing in times of confusion. They seem to make sense. They exaggerate the problems masterfully. They seem to provide the answers. In reality they are cynically exploiting the fears and confusion to create division and hate from which they can profit.
It is not the terrorist leaders who strap on the explosive vests.
It is not the Fascist leaders who blow up mosques.
So what and who do we believe?