Comments on: Thomas Jefferson comments on fake news

By: dunc

dunc — Thu, 09 Nov 2017 00:59:53 +0000

little late? little lost? what rocked my world is the ideal of obedience ? to what? is there a consensus?great men? .great heros?.what do we trust now? consensus reckons the hero.the ideology.the consensus frames reason /logic etc.we are now at the void.what the hell do you do with that?ignorance is bliss? no wonder!!

By: JB

JB — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 12:40:20 +0000

TJ: “Advertisements contain the only truths to be relied on in a newspaper.” We all know how much advertisement is suffused with hyperbole…

Like many of TJ’s comments, they contradict themselves. Liberty depends on newspapers, even though they are filled with lies and polluted? Every man should receive them, be capable of reading them, but is better informed if he does not?

There is a great use for them. Pulp-mash fire bricks, and in desperate circumstances, the wiping of the posterior.

By: Ozzie Thinker

Ozzie Thinker — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 02:09:44 +0000

I’m not as impressed by TJ as you are, Jon.

You can take those statements many ways. Did they not have newspaper EDITORS (censors) in his age?

“Free press”…..my ass……

Isn’t it ironic that these little wordpress sites are about the only blessing left? 😉

Best
OT

By: Sukijopa

Sukijopa — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 00:38:20 +0000

I just saw (on another post about forcing vaccinations) the word “presstitutes,” to describe the “reporters” who do the bidding of corporations. That sums it up very well, I think.

By: Zip-ped-e-doda

Zip-ped-e-doda — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 20:20:47 +0000

Thank you Jon for your brilliant writing and research of President Thomas Jefferson’s words that I had no knowledge of until your presented this informative article.

By: Zip-ped-e-doda

Zip-ped-e-doda — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 20:14:55 +0000

Here’s the weasel-word document from the Obama Administration that made it legal for government/media to broadcast propaganda to the public while suckering the people to pay for it.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/5736/text
The 1948 Smith-Mundt Act forbids the government use of propaganda on Americans; however, it exempted the War Department, now called The Pentagon and 1987 applied to only portions of the State Department. Broadcasters were obligated to present contrasting opinions with “News Stories”, they called News Programs and we’ve been programed a long, long time.

By: truth1

truth1 — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 20:11:31 +0000

Today’s Free Press, supposedly the “Truthers” on Youtube or blogs or maybe even facebook, are really mostly just con-trolled opposition. They beat us to the punch this time. The orthodox press are the bad guys, but any given time, a “truther could end up being no better than the 6:30 news or the local newspaper.

this brings up an interesting circumstance. We can not rely on others and must learn to analyze and think for our selves and question everything. this tests our character and the the ability of our species. Can we rise to the challenge or not? Some can. But most won’t. But the times we live in will certainly separate the precious metals from the dross and slag.

In the words of the cigarette man on X files, “Trust no one! We need to trust ourselves and our abilities.

By: Michael Burns

Michael Burns — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 17:34:01 +0000

Interesting points Leon…your comment lead me back to some thoughts of my own that I have pondering over of late.

I have become aware of the on-going manipulation of alternate news media. The controlled opposition; and its seems the fix is in; marginalizing smaller news venues. Algorithms that seek and destroy, or fritz up; pulling and censoring, denying payment or access to payment.

The ones too small, fail to fight back. Lack of money and resources.

And the dirty deals are made by the likes of Alex Jones and Inforwars for a sizable piece of the bandwidth; and a promise. The righteous jump Alex ship and seek to try again another day to get back to the honesty.

But of course there are hundreds of small alternate media outlets that have absolutely nothing to say…but, “Look at me.”

By: jandvig

jandvig — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 14:47:59 +0000

“…… as he who knows nothing is nearer to truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods & errors.” (June 11, 1807)

This is profound wisdom expressed through Mr. Jefferson.
One of those spiritual Truths that we need to be reminded of.

By: Leon

Leon — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 13:36:11 +0000

Very nice article. I attempt to use a number of critiques to balance my comprehension of daily syndicated media misinformation that is repeatedly regurgitated throughout the day. One is to notice how often the same stories are repeated by the top syndicated news sources throughout the day. If the same repeated stories are dominating their media space between the plethora of corporate sponsored advertisements, then I ask myself…what other news is there (that is likely equally important) that the media is not telling me. Fake news is not just the skewed/bias/one-sided/syndicated misinformation currently flooding the media, it is more importantly what is not being said due to intentionally leaving out important news by intentionally filling the alloted time or space with repeated headlines, fluff, or increasing advertising time.

One of my peeves is the increasing use which our modern news broadcasters wastes their valuable news time by throw in news plugs “we have an important ‘news topic’ that you will want to hear right after these messages from our sponsors.” Why not just spill it out now? Stop wasting you media time and my valuable time with this worthless fluff!

Syndicated news will perish if this garbage new continues. I’m concerned that what will replace it will be equally corrupt or exploited once a weakness is identified. We need to start building the foundation “and rules” for the replacement new media system now before the corporate new and commercialization corrupts it as well.