Saturday, April 22, 2017

Reality ... what a concept

The problem is: a fair chunk of people (left and right) don't believe there's an objective reality out there. I blame the 1970s. But that's just my opinion.
Seriously. Everyone who lived through that hellish era knows what I'm talking about.
Any discussion on any topic could be shut down by: "Well, that's just your reality, man."
The notion of "consensual reality" was floating in the !@#ing air at the time. The charming Werner Erhard (a Jewish philosopher who changed his name to a monicker appropriate to a Nazi stormtrooper) made big bucks with this concept in est.
There's no reality "out there."
"Reality" is what you vote on, dig?
It's an agreement, folks. If we agree the earth is round, it's round! If we agree it's flat, it's flat! 
Ain't that something?
This poisonous opinion has spread like a virus of the mind ...
No, dude. It's not "like" a virus of the mind. It is a virus of the mind.
OK, OK. This virus of the mind has spread ...
Better.
... to the point, it's not even questioned anymore. "Consensual reality" is the default assumption of the 21st century. "Reality" is sorta like Tinkerbell, nowadays. If we believe in fairies, she lives. If we don't, she dies. It's all about agreement!
And if enough people agree humans aren't responsible for climate change?
We aren't.
That's reality, man.