Throughout the 1790s ‘conspiracy theories’ probing what forces were responsible for the French Revolution abounded in England, continental Europe, and the US. They were put forth by intelligent and reputable authors. What did these theories and historical insights have to say? Why were they so strongly suppressed by the mass media of the era? Why are they still important (perhaps more than ever) today?
Idling Intellect
Whenever “conspiracy theory” I hear
I know that a brain has just gone out of gear.
The common phenomenon again I behold
Of a person determined to believe what he’s told
By the press and political powers-that-be
Who have long had no credibility.
It’s a sad thing to witness the widespread condition
Of critical faculties out of commission.
And a once-proud people cowed into submission.
http://www.dcdave.com/poet2/p051198.html
I guess my question is how do we ever escape the stranglehold they have over us? What will it take for people to rise up against ‘them’?
IMHO Any original line or reply about any issue is a lie at best, and a subversive attempt at hurting people, at worst.
In my view, the conspiracy is no secret. Higher Ed now grants tenure to “piss-poor” scholars who love corporate journalism (in the journalism backpack — wow!) and in a careless manner give a big hug to stats and claims that stats and data are evidence. Higher Ed runs off the smart people with brains and adores order-takers. It is too bad. Humans could have been smart. I mean, what could communication and geography possibly have in common?
But corporate Higher Ed is rather pathetic. Without a critical lens?
Why bother? Don’t create thinkers. Create little robots who just want their degree and foster uniformity. Congrats, Academe! There is no link remaining to your importance — oh, except crushing student debt.
-Dumb Guy
Just read your post today. As a currently unemployed professor (thanks to the death-shot requirements), I couldn’t agree with you more. The System doesn’t want The Best and Brightest; it only wants The Easily Manipulated.
Our entire educational system needs to be destroyed and rebuilt from the ground up. It’s a monumental task, but one that civilized society MUST undertake. And I honestly think that we’re there, now. Enough of us are fed up that we’re ready to begin. Ask all those parents who attended school-board meetings in the past year and were kicked out for speaking the truth!