Mike Robbins's Blog - Posts Tagged "alternative-facts"
In these troubled times...
An election!
Now you need a book to help you make sense of what passes for democracy in the UK.
Such Little Accident: British Democracy and Its Enemies
In this novella-length essay, I argue that the free exchange of information is the lifeblood of democracy. I then look at the threats to that process in Britain. They are many; the way the electoral system distorts the agenda, the misunderstanding of science, the 'silo' effect of the Internet and a culture of bullying that replaces thought with rage.
Here's what some readers have said about Such Little Accident:
"This essay is written by someone who knows what they’re talking about. It’s engaging, easy to understand for the layman, and it has a great balance of facts alongside some personal anecdotes from the author. It also has a necessary pinch of humour too."
"This is an extremely important read which covers a lot of ground. All of the strands intertwine and present us with a summary of the nightmare we face on today's world stage."
"[He] has drawn information from a great deal of sources, and has eloquently stuck to facts rather than rhetoric."
"A nourishing essay dealing with the predominant points of interest brought forth by recent trends, focusing here mainly on the UK but branching out to pertinent reflections on events stateside also."
"A good, short read which will make you reconsider your Friends list on Facebook and (one hopes) more determined to seek out opinions contrary to your own. "
If you want to understand where we're going, and why we shouldn't, Such Little Accident is essential reading.
Available for e-reader and as a paperback.
Now you need a book to help you make sense of what passes for democracy in the UK.
Such Little Accident: British Democracy and Its Enemies
In this novella-length essay, I argue that the free exchange of information is the lifeblood of democracy. I then look at the threats to that process in Britain. They are many; the way the electoral system distorts the agenda, the misunderstanding of science, the 'silo' effect of the Internet and a culture of bullying that replaces thought with rage.
Here's what some readers have said about Such Little Accident:
"This essay is written by someone who knows what they’re talking about. It’s engaging, easy to understand for the layman, and it has a great balance of facts alongside some personal anecdotes from the author. It also has a necessary pinch of humour too."
"This is an extremely important read which covers a lot of ground. All of the strands intertwine and present us with a summary of the nightmare we face on today's world stage."
"[He] has drawn information from a great deal of sources, and has eloquently stuck to facts rather than rhetoric."
"A nourishing essay dealing with the predominant points of interest brought forth by recent trends, focusing here mainly on the UK but branching out to pertinent reflections on events stateside also."
"A good, short read which will make you reconsider your Friends list on Facebook and (one hopes) more determined to seek out opinions contrary to your own. "
If you want to understand where we're going, and why we shouldn't, Such Little Accident is essential reading.
Available for e-reader and as a paperback.
Fact ferreting
We are at war.
Back in 1977 Paul Johnson, Boris's uncle, published a book called Enemies of Society, in which he castigated all those who made meaningless or unverified statements. They would, he said, destroy the basic certainties societies need to function. The book was written from a right-wing perspective; Johnson was a polemicist. But he was not wrong about this. Hannah Arendt made a similar point, in a very different way, from farther left, in her essay On Lying in Politics. They weren't joking; and now the Internet has arrived in politics in a big way and it ain’t pretty.
It shouldn’t be a surprise. The late Günter Grass foresaw its use by the alt-right back in 2004, in his last novel, Crabwalk, which I reviewed here on Goodreads a day or two after Grass died. He was all too prescient. The Web is heaving with stories from dodgy websites, propagated by social media and reinforced by half-truths from the nastier newspapers. And let’s be clear – while the worst abuses come from the right, the left has had a hand in this as well.
In an era of fake news, half-truths, social-media silos, bent media, etc. etc., I am - how shall I put it? - a fanatical fact ferret. I am sharing some of my ferreting techniques with you. Good luck. The enemies of society are all around you, and this is a war we have to win.
http://mikerobbinsnyc.blogspot.com/20...
Back in 1977 Paul Johnson, Boris's uncle, published a book called Enemies of Society, in which he castigated all those who made meaningless or unverified statements. They would, he said, destroy the basic certainties societies need to function. The book was written from a right-wing perspective; Johnson was a polemicist. But he was not wrong about this. Hannah Arendt made a similar point, in a very different way, from farther left, in her essay On Lying in Politics. They weren't joking; and now the Internet has arrived in politics in a big way and it ain’t pretty.
It shouldn’t be a surprise. The late Günter Grass foresaw its use by the alt-right back in 2004, in his last novel, Crabwalk, which I reviewed here on Goodreads a day or two after Grass died. He was all too prescient. The Web is heaving with stories from dodgy websites, propagated by social media and reinforced by half-truths from the nastier newspapers. And let’s be clear – while the worst abuses come from the right, the left has had a hand in this as well.
In an era of fake news, half-truths, social-media silos, bent media, etc. etc., I am - how shall I put it? - a fanatical fact ferret. I am sharing some of my ferreting techniques with you. Good luck. The enemies of society are all around you, and this is a war we have to win.
http://mikerobbinsnyc.blogspot.com/20...
