“There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that ‘my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.”  Issac Asimov

Over the past few decades, people in the UK and US (and elsewhere) have watched as populist politicians and rabble-rousing, sciolistic journalists (some of whom later became politicians), posing as knowledgeable dispensers of expertise and wisdom, have risen to dominate not only political discourse and policy at the local level, but through every layer of government, culminating in populist administrations that have radically divided voters, misinformed the populace on critical issues and increased the lack of hope for the working classes and even the children of many middle class voters.

Using social issues such as abortion, LGBT rights, women’s rights, racial injustices, a widening income gap, and issues that many voters are poorly informed about such as global warming, species extinction, alternative fuels, legal limits and interpretations, Constitutional meanings and rights, global and national economics, world and national history, and other such topics, these pseudo-intellectuals,  nescient opinion shapers and their army of “influencers” and myrmidons have used clever tactics not only to manipulate how people perceive the issues, but also to make them unwilling to admit they may have made an error in the first opinion and position they adopted regarding these issues, thus locking them into not only obedience, but self-deception, which becomes a type of self-enslavement.

To aid in understanding how this has happened, we will look at ways in which people can be deceived into voting against their own best interests, vote for harmful policies, support division and aid in the widening of not just the income gap, but the opportunity gap as well.

How it Happens

 “… there is no shame in not knowing. The problem arises when irrational thought and attendant behavior fill the vacuum left by ignorance.”  Neil deGrasse Tyson

We’ll begin with looking at the dispensers of division and deception. These are usually people the person or group employs to re-enforce the message presented by the primary person or group. Dispensers can be writers, speakers, television presenters, crowd leaders, radio hosts, social media users, supporters, acolytes, retainers, and others:

Pundit: one who expresses opinion or commentary, often through media, on a particular subject area (especially in politics and the social sciences),  on which they are knowledgeable or can appear knowledgeable even though they lack expertise, lack accuracy, or have no experience in the subject.

Ultracrepidarian: Someone who gives advice or speaks out on issues or subjects he or she knows little or nothing about or does not actually understand. The word comes from Pliny the Elder’s phrase “Ne supra crepidam sutor iudicaret.” (”A shoemaker should not judge beyond the shoe”), a warning to people to both avoid giving advice or passing judgment outside of, or beyond their area of expertise and warning others to be wary of following their advice or opinions.

“You are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant.”  Harlan Ellison

Sciolist: a person with superficial knowledge who pretends to be knowledgeable and well informed and often uses words to baffle and confuse (most often seen in political rhetoric intended to answer a question or explain a policy while doing neither)

“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”  Martin Luther King Jr.

Minion/Follower: an underling or group member of a person considered important; these people tend to believe in, have an emotional investment in, or idolize the person they follow and dispense the “message” without verification of facts or examination of the intent of the message, and often without critical examination of how this person’s policies, attitudes and beliefs, or actions impact the follower’s life or well-being

“There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action.”  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

 Myrmidon: follower or subordinate of a powerful person, modern use implies a person or group that is unscrupulous (having or showing no moral principles; dishonest) or carries out orders unquestioningly, even if those orders (or hints/suggestions) intend to cause harm, or call on the follower to do illegal or harmful things..

And the methods often used by cunning men and women to manipulate those who trust or follow them:

Overclaiming; fake expertise: this is when a person, either a self-proclaimed expert or someone presented as an expert, professes to know things they really do not. Usually employed by persons who either have degrees in subjects outside the subject or who give advice on issues or subjects they don’t fully understand and have not studied (for example, a person with a law degree in economics giving advice on Middle East policies or a person with a Theology degree giving advice on medical topics). When a person is presented to speak as an expert, it is wise to examine their credentials and experience in the area of concern.

Scapegoating: blaming a person, group or organization for one’s problems, or the problems that beset a people, place or nation. This strategy is used not only to pass blame, but to create feelings of prejudice toward the person or group that one is blaming, as well as mislead the listener or speaker regarding the failures of a system, whether political, religious, mechanical or social,  while creating a false positive self-image in the listener or reader.

Manipulation/manipulate: to control or influence a situation, person or group by unscrupulously altering or presenting facts or data with the intent to mislead, exploit or  produce a desired effect, or surreptitiously orchestrate or control a desired perception

Misrepresent: to give a false or misleading account of something or someone

Misstate: to make wrong or inaccurate statements about something or someone

Mislead: cause (someone) to have a wrong idea or impression

“Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.”   Aldous Huxley

In plain language, manipulation, misrepresentation, misstating and misleading tactics are also known as lying, obscuring and obfuscating , all with the intent to deceive, direct, confuse, or control the perceptions of the reader or listener .

Rhetoric as Persuasion

Rhetoric, or rhetorical strategies, is in a category by itself as a strategy for intentionally manipulating perception or persuading people to a certain idea. Because rhetoric is a common device used by politicians, pundits, and leaders of all sorts (including religious), I will go into more depth to define it. There are three types of persuasive appeals used in rhetoric to attract supporters, present a policy, position or proposal to the people, or reach a desired goal.

Pathos is based on feelings- it is used to establish an emotional connection to your audience, to appeal to their own fears, beliefs, feelings, and make them believe you are “like them” and “feel” the same way they do. Pathos can be an honest appeal to the emotions, but it can also be used to pander to the baser emotions or fears of the listener or reader.

Ethos is used to establish the speaker’s authority to speak on a topic, or show credentials as to why he/she should be the chosen leader or have his/her ideas or policies supported and enforced. When an expert is trotted out to present a case to the listener or reader, do three things: verify they have expertise in the area being discussed, read their bio and examine their working background and finally, explore their mindset by looking at what they have said regarding other topics.

Logos presents facts as known and from those, derives a logical or rational argument for a position, candidacy, policies or even beliefs. Logos is perhaps the most important rhetorical device for showing the truth about a person’s character, because it exposes how they use the facts at hand and interprets them to the listener or uses them to inform or misinform others. 

Rhetoric in and of itself is not “bad”. But how a person uses it, the agenda, and the desired end is of critical importance.  This is why the integrity and character of the person using this strategy is important, and why all public figures need to be examined for the quality and nature of their character.

A rhetorical device is the use of language intended to have an effect on its audience, to persuade them to a particular position. Some rhetorical devices include:

Hyperbole: exaggerated statements or claims. While these are not meant to be taken literally, too often they are. Using hyperbole enables a person using this device to rouse emotion, while claiming it is the responsibility of the listener or reader to know the speaker or writer was exaggerating.

Anaphora: repeating a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses  

Illusory truth effect/Repetition: repeated words or statements. The effect is to make the listener or reader perceive the statement as truthful. With each repetition, the listener or reader has their belief re-enforced. This is why repetition is seen as an aid, or tool, for indoctrination, in which a person is inculcated to accept select ideas, attitudes, or beliefs without questioning them. By using repetition, the speaker or writer amplifies its importance or intensity in the mind of the listener or reader.

Antanagoge: in which, not being able to answer the accusation of an adversary, a person instead makes a counter-allegation or counteracting an opponent’s proposal with an opposing proposition. The “you too” defense. (See logical fallacies link)

Epizeuxis: when a word is repeated in succession, with no intervening words.

Litotes/Understatement: deliberately making a situation sound less important or serious than it is. .

Asterismos: using a word or phrase to draw attention to the thought that comes afterward.

Hypophora:  when the speaker or writer asks a question of the listener/reader/audience and then immediately gives them the answer he or she wants them to adopt in order to control or direct their perception or direction of thinking

Procatalepsis:  is a proactive rhetorical device that anticipates and notes a potential objection, heading it off with a follow-up argument to strengthen the speaker or writer’s point, to make rebuttal harder or discredit it

Other popular strategies used to persuade or engage and appeal to the listener include:

Logical fallacies: using faulty reasoning, or invalid reasoning, in your argument over a policy, issue, or other point of conflict or contention. Rather than cover all the possible logical fallacies, which are important to know and understand, I am providing a link to some excellent tools, both basic and more in-depth, for understanding what these are and how to spot them when they are used:

https://thebestschools.org/magazine/15-logical-fallacies-know/

http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/ENGL1311/fallacies.htm

https://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/rhetological-fallacies/

https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/

Understanding these terms is useful for making better decisions about what you are being told and who to trust. Understanding how speech or the written word can confuse and muddle the facts and issues is important for people to know.

Why It Happens

“A man is responsible for his ignorance.”  Milan Kundera

History has taught us, to our sorrow, that persons, groups, political movements social movements and religious movements that engage in division and deceit have done so deliberately, intentionally, with the agenda of implementing changes to a society or political system, to establish a new or change an established religion, or to change a legal system so it favors a particular group or people. The intent is to gain power and control over others, and to establish a dominant, ruling class or group based upon a selected factor. This could be religion, the color of your skin, ethnicity, family “bloodlines”, income and/or collective assets, land ownership, or other characteristic or identifiable feature or attribute. All of the means above are brought to bear against the targeted persons, groups, organization or current systems, with the intent of establishing the authority, control, dominance, or privilege of a specific group.

“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others…..Somehow it seemed as though the farm had grown richer without making the animals themselves any richer—except, of course, for the pigs and the dogs…. The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.”  Animal Farm, George Orwell

Revolution often sounds appealing to those who are unhappy with a current system, making them especially vulnerable to manipulation through rhetoric and other ploys and strategies for rousing a crowd to action. However, in almost all cases of revolution, the people discover that the typical outcome is new masters, not true freedom. It is said power corrupts, even when it begins as idealism; the capacity for people to believe fervently in an ideal “something”  even when the reality harms them or the ideal is betrayed by those who put themselves forward as “leaders” is the tragedy of dreams built upon foundations of deception.

Even in the case of the American Revolution, there were men who entered into the revolution with an eye for profit. As they gained from the new system, Native American tribes lost their hope of restraining the Europeans from further incursion; women, who had played a larger role in the revolution than was once thought, were again relegated to the back seat. African-Americans who fought were promised freedom, but many saw that promise vanish once the revolution was over. So there were those who fought in the revolution and gained from doing so, and those who fought in the revolution only to see their work rewarded with diminished hopes or opportunities once the goal was achieved.

The Solution is You

Moral compass: the existence of virtues such as integrity, courage, fortitude, honesty, loyalty, honour, and other important virtues that promote positive behaviors that contribute to the well-being of society, the family and the individual. A person with a moral compass chooses to do the right thing even when presented with pressure to choose otherwise, because their belief in the value of a moral compass outweighs “fitting in” or “being accepted” at the cost of their virtues.

The best defense against being manipulated is to vote for and support those who are not trying to do so. The truth is, many narcissists and psychopaths are charming, seem capable, and have great ambitions to hold positions of power, control and status. (1) They study people with the aim of understanding how to gain favor, appeal to audience emotions and achieve their own ends. But our lives, our words and actions, leave evidence behind even when we try to hide them. Our behaviors while young and adult, how we treat others, how we speak of other people, leave witnesses and traces of evidence along the way. Learn to examine the early years of those asking for power; examine their early years, how they conduct themselves when engaged with others, how they treat people who they work with or who work for them, how they relate to those over whom they already have control or power. If a man or woman is asking you to hand them control, authority or power, you have a right- no, a duty, to examine their character.

What are the traits we need to seek in those whom we are trusting to tell us the truth, so we know they are making the best, most considered decisions for the nation and its people, based on the facts to date, with the ability to change policies if the data reveals new information? In other words, what kind of leaders do we want to have?

What are the traits we need to develop in ourselves? In other words, what kind of men and women will we choose to be?

Now is the time to look at what we value as individuals, as a people and as a nation- and what we will accept in a politician or any other person who asks us to give them power over our lives, our bodies and even our minds. More, it is time to look at what we accept from ourselves as men and women of a nation and as people in a community with others. The development of a moral compass is difficult- but consider what has happened to the world in the past few decades, and in historical decades of the past, as would-be rulers, leaders, presidents-for -life, demagogues, populists, despots and would be tyrants- those who lost, discarded or never had a moral compass- have convinced people to give them power and control.

What are those traits that constitute a moral compass? Keeping in mind that you, me and every other person chooses for or against developing the behaviors, chooses for or against living according to these traits, it becomes clear that a man or woman can be known by their actions and words– and knowing them, we can each decide what kind of person we will choose to give power to, and in doing so, will tell the world who and what our own character is and how it might impact the our community, our nation and the world.

Character Traits of a Person with a Moral Compass

A person who has a functioning moral compass exhibits and lives by the following character traits and values:

They have the Courage to do what is right, to speak out against oppression, to stand against those who would do harm in word or deed to another, even at the risk of personal loss.

They exhibit a sense of Duty, of responsibility or obligation to others, to their country, to the  world, to all humanity, and to the future.

They speak and act with Honesty, speaking truth even when the consequences would be difficult to bear; they are also honest with themselves regarding their motivations, and are  honest and fair in their dealings with others.

They act and speak with Honor, adhering to principles considered right and just; they act and speak with probity, integrity and nobility.

They show Fortitude, enduring hardship without bitterness or resentment; they avoid behaving petulantly when things don’t go as they wish

Those with a moral compass understand the idea of Sacrifice, giving of themselves to others and putting duty and kindness to others above their own desires or needs.

They demonstrate Respect for other people, for the rights of others, for the earth and for themselves. They are respectful of others’ property. They act and speak according to the  principles of social justice and human rights. In learning respect for self and others, a strong code of personal morality follows based on the Law “Do No Harm”.; they are aware of any personal actions that show disregard for the earth or for another person or life, and correct those actions.

They seek continual Self-improvement; this means they always search for truth, for the right action; to go one step further than they might think they can; they take risks for a purpose that will allow growth and progress; they retain an open mind, knowing there is still much to learn and understand.

They exhibit Diligence, Perseverance and Conscientiousness.  Whatever their task is, they execute it with thoroughness and a high standard of quality, retain a strong work ethic, and keep on with the task until it is completed. They examine a task, determine what is needed to perform to that high standard and ensure they have done all possible to understand the task and master what is needed to execute it well and thoroughly.

Those with a moral compass act with Independence. They take nothing as “fact” until they have personally explored and examined it through proven, credible sources. They think for themselves and don’t easily accept whatever is declared  “truth” by others; they use critical thinking and tested methodologies to examine claims and rhetoric for accuracy, authenticity and veracity. Those with a moral compass are prepared to be Self-reliant and able to stand alone if necessary, but also recognize they are interdependent and interconnected with the human family and other living things.

They exhibit Civility, treating each person they meet with respect; they treat others with good manners and are aware of the rights of others and of how their behaviors might affect others.

They have empathy with others and an understanding of their lives, showing Compassion and Kindness to all. They recognize each person and creature as separate from themselves and capable of feeling physical and emotional pain.

The person with a moral compass rejects bias, discrimination, division, and separation, showing Tolerance . They are able to acknowledge differences without using differences to deny civil/human rights or kindness to another. They seek the similarities between themselves and others as well as the differences, and study many cultures so as to understand them.

They exhibit Self-control, and are able to control their emotions, actions, or desires. They  acknowledge those emotions and desires without the need to always act on them, especially if they might cause harm to another or harm to self.

They Leave others be. It is reasonable for each of us to find and follow our own path – but it must always be stressed that we have no right to choose the way for another. A personal decision is just that- personal. So long as no harm is done to another, so long as consent is present and empowered, what a person does and how they live is their private concern. This is especially true of those whose lives may not be what we might want or think is best.

They are Resolute, unwavering. They are determined and act with purpose without being stubborn or obstinate.

They are Strong-minded, not easily influenced by others, manipulated or easily exploited through deception. They are incorruptible and not influenced by propaganda. They are often profoundly thoughtful, showing deep insight and awareness of situations, people and events.

Do these traits seem impossible to develop? It can be daunting to look at this list, and it is easy to simply give up and let life- and character- settle for what is easy. But by training oneself to develop each trait, to act and speak with the decision to develop an aspect of character, a person will eventually become what they choose for.  When you develop the character of a person with a moral compass, you can develop the skills not to fall for the lies, deceptions, manipulations, and rhetorical strategies of those who would control how you perceive issues, events and other people; those who would control how you view or interpret the world and those who would try to use how you perceive your place in the world for their own purposes and agendas..

What will YOU choose?

 

© 2021

Addendum 1

In making your arguments against an opposing issue, check your own biases, as well. Self-honesty is as important as honesty towards others.

https://yourbias.is/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases

https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/

(1) https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/out-the-darkness/202010/disordered-leaders

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackmccullough/2019/12/09/the-psychopathic-ceo/

https://theconversation.com/how-to-stop-psychopaths-and-narcissists-from-winning-positions-of-power-158183

Addendum 2

 If you have never changed your mind about some fundamental tenet of your belief, if you have never questioned the basics, and if you have no wish to do so, then you are likely ignorant. Before it is too late, go out there and find someone who, in your opinion, believes, assumes, or considers certain things very strongly and very differently from you, and just have a basic honest conversation. It will do both of you good.”
Vera Nazarian

Looking at the difference between stupidity, ignorance and willful ignorance, it has to be said that far too many people are using the word “stupid” incorrectly, when the most apropos term they should be using is either ignorant– which can be fixed with knowledge or experience being gained and is not a term of insult if it is clear a person lacks knowledge through no fault of their own or  willful ignorance, which is a deliberate, intentional choice to ignore facts

What is the actual percent of people who are “stupid” and how is that measured? Stupid: slow of mind, unintelligent; cognitively impaired.

What is the percent of people who are ignorant and what can be done to change that? Ignorant: lacking knowledge or awareness in general; uneducated or unsophisticated; destitute of knowledge.

What is the percent of people who are willfully ignorant, and why do they choose to be so? Willful ignorance: In law, also called willful blindness– decision in bad faith to avoid becoming informed about something so as to avoid having to make undesirable decisions that such information might prompt; in common use, the intentional and blatant avoidance, disregard, rejection of, or disagreement with facts, empirical evidence and well-founded arguments because they oppose or contradict your own existing personal beliefs, feelings about an issue or opinion.