The Grass Roots Messaging Vision of
TheThinkProject2018
There is a reason I
chose to design themed graphic art - and have it printed on demand on material objects,
that people might choose to wear or carry, as well as printed on canvas wall art and
posters etc.
It was triggered largely by the pervasive, panopticon exploitative spying upon us by internet platform providers, governments, corporations and other agenda-driven entities - who then gain benefits from access to data about our behavioural patterns and interests - with the ultimate totalitarian goal of profiting from knowing about, and being able to psychologically influence what we think and do, and to exploit our weaknesses and vices.
There is a growing army of psychologists and marketing people - employed by internet platforms, big corporations, governments, non-governmental organganizations and other interest groups (political and non-political) whose role is to socially engineer (a fancy term for psychologically brainwash) how we the public think and how we will act - by controlling our access to information and repressing or oppressing what we are allowed to say or do - if such thoughts are not in Big Brother's book of permitted think.
Freedom of
thought, freedom of speech and liberty in general cannot exist under
such a totalitarian oppressive and controlling system. This is not how a democratic society operates.
In 1932 Aldous Huxley wrote a famous book called Brave New World, a book which, along with George Orwell's 1984 foretold our modern real life global dystopian state.
In Brave New World, Huxley provided a world view of corporate tyranny and behavioural conditioning, and rigid suppression of individuality - along with eugenics, caste systems, promiscuity, self-indulgence, demand for conformity, indoctrination, self-use and use by the state of a calming drug to prevent agitation, and exile of non-conformists. The citizens are only permitted access to art that promotes the fostered culture of self-indulgence. They are not allowed art that might enlighten people about their oppression, or science that might enlighten them. Children are conditioned to hate books.
Unfortunately, Huxley's Brave New World and Orwell's 1984 - works of fiction about oppressive societies - appear to have been used as instruction manuals by totalitarians who might claim otherwise, but increasingly act to undermine democracy, free speech, free thought, free choice, and the privacy that is vital for liberty, personal security and individuality.
A lot of real life society has
been, and is being - behaviourly conditioned / socially engineered, (fancy terms for psychologically
brainwashed) - to consider, lies, dishonesty, deception, exploitative
surveillance by the state and corporations, police brutality, mass murders,
imperialism, colonialism, wars, partisan justice, suppression of speech, censorship and a host of other bad/evil,
bizarre or antisocial behavior as "normal", or view these matters
through the eyes of apathy (which is the same as condoning them). We know that
there are many other issues we are being forced to accept or forced to reject
by the Big Brother internet platforms - whether we agree with their think or
not.
This coupled with
manipulation of information the public can access, and Orwellian restriction of
what people are allowed to say or debate - because powerful entities deem
certain words or ideas to be politically incorrect - is having serious negative
consequences on free speech, free thought, liberty, democracy, ethics and
values.
This is not how
democracies operate. It’s how totalitarian states like Russia, China and North
Korea operate. It’s how a dystopic 1984 / Brave New World style world operates.
Though opposing
extreme factions would like us to think otherwise, Big Brother totalitarian
control of what the public can say, think or do - is loved by, and practiced by
both the far right and the far left.
Traditional media, browsers, and social media platforms have become tools of states, corporations,
political interest groups and big money globalists and others. Because they control
the information we see - they are able to exercise considerable control over what the grassroots public is likely
to believe is true (whether it's true or not); and they are able to pressure
the public into thinking certain ideas, policies and behaviors are normal or
abnormal - by narrowing the information and debate they permit and who they
will permit to give an opinion.This is behavioural conditioning / social engineering in action.
Attitudes towards truth, news and facts have been corrupted by traditional and social media - and elites (especially politicians). Truth and facts, really are
different from opinion, speculation, and Dirty Politics driven malicious
gossip; but you'd never know this based on how so-called news is framed.
The main stream media
(traditional and online) have been amongst the worst purveyors of Fake News.
They present the opinions of their preferred elites as if their speculation is
the same as facts - and are furious if the opinion of their partisan, agenda-driven
experts is questioned. This has helped lying war mongers start multiple wars of
aggression based on speculation and lies.
We, the grassroots
have to be able to access and introduce new information into debates, join
debate - and learn to think critically about assertions that are made by
anyone. We must critically think for ourselves, and not just mindlessly believe
what we are effectively being told to think by various forms of media.
Privacy
and access to non-agenda driven, truly independent, and truthful sources of
information are vital -
for core pillars of Liberty (especially freedom of thought) to exist.
We must be able to
make informed independent decisions based on facts (versus agenda driven
narratives that tend to be riddled with Fake News, misinformation, political
and corporate driven malicious Dirty PR, and actual propaganda) - and we must
be able to debate official narratives and provide evidence against official
narratives, where such evidence exists.
We must be able to
speak our minds (whether we are right or wrong, serious or silly, or we
criticize or praise) - if we are to be free men and women in a free society
that respects Liberty and the Democracy that "We the people" need.
In my opinion it is legitimate to censor threats or
incitement to violence or encouragement of violence or criminal behaviour. But the Big Brother
Browsers and Social Media platforms now censor, and suppress all kinds of things - as only Big
Brother tech can do.
In addition, Big Brother
Browsers are foisting the beliefs, values, practices and agendas of their
favorite patrons (political, corporate, organizations or groups) on the public - in a highly partisan fashion. In my opinion this is further abuse of their power to access and control information.
It is one
thing to protect minority groups from prejudicial behavior. It is quite another
thing to unilaterally force the acceptance of the beliefs, values, practices and agendas of
minority groups (or any group of any size or type) on to others - other than those enshrined
in a Constitution.
In my view, the partisan pushing (it's worse than pushing, it is effectively being demanded) that the public accept the values, practices and agendas of minority groups favoured by political and corporate (including online platform media) elites; and the suppression of criticism of their values, practices and agendas - is likely contributing substantially to divisiveness in
society. This is because one group's beliefs, values, practices and agenda is often an antithesis to another - and the differences are bound to be made worse when any group(s) are seen as protected from criticism, or any group(s) feel they are being gagged from saying what they think - leading to an exacerbation of negative attitudes
The political correctness excuse is that online censorship is being to suppress hate speech.
But hate speech is a highly subjective concept. Everyone loves praise, and hates criticism.
Computer algorithms, at least in part are being used to censor; and they are making mistakes. On one occasion I had an image censored on Facebook. The censorship came with a message that Facebook did not permit images of violence or injuries to dogs. I was astounded. It was a picture of a windsurfer riding the waves in a storm. There was no animal and no violence. To give Facebook it's due, it said why (bizarre as the reason was) it was censored, and it gave an opportunity to appeal it. But many images are censored on various media, and you can tell from the comments, the poster doesn't know why, and is angry about it.
If a computer can't correctly identify the content of an image; why is it any more likely to understand the context of words? Context makes a difference as to what words mean. But basically, what it comes down to is:
Why should words, ideas or criticism be subject to Big Brother censorship, if they don't actually incite or applaud violence or criminal or illegal behaviour?
Free Speech was not enshrined to protect speech we like. Everybody likes flattery and most people hate criticism. I can understand the platforms wanting to control noxious astroturfing trolls, and malicious real people whose only purpose seems to be, to be nasty and obnoxious. But surely, horrid as they are, it is better for them to be blocked on a personal basis - so that the opportunity of wider debate (whether its agreeable or intelligent or not) is preserved.
We are at risk of
becoming brain washed puppets, incapable of independent critical thinking - who
ultimately, if the Big Brother totalitarians and their patrons get their way,
will become like the tragic hero of George Orwell's 1984. Winston dedicated his
Thought Crime diary (in the first chapter of 1984) to a period in the past or
present when he imagined people were free, and facts and history were set and
"could not be undone" - because Orwell's Big Brother had a habit of re-writing or deleting history.
Speaking of re-writing history - the Big Brother
Browsers (Today, society's pre-eminent recorders of history) are able to permanently
delete or allow the re-writing of history on demand (or to insure their
partisan agenda is supported). You only have to do a Google search now and
compare it with 5 years ago, or do the same with Wikipedia - to see that the
Internet has become a massive ad/marketing/dirty PR pushing - social
engineering machine - where facts and truth are often deemed inconvenient to
those paying the piper for the songs.
This has been enabled by Orwellian
politicians who don't want their dirty laundry seen by the public - information
that is often highly revealing as to their character, and indicative of whether they are trustworthy enough to represent the public interest (vs their own interests and that of their cronies). Orwell through his hero Winston spotlighted how totalitarian it is - to erase or re-write history.
Legitimate
criticisms, debate and challenges to their preferred narratives, or independent
information or opinions they or their patrons don't want the public to think
about - are now being judged to be forms of Big Brother politically incorrect
“Thought Crimes” - and are sent down the black hole of erased history. In the online media - platforms push agenda driven information and
propaganda that favor the interests of their patrons and cronies. (And they are enabled to do this by laws
passed by politicians, who we elect).
China, Russia and
North Korea, and similar totalitarian states have been justifiably criticized
for their censorship and manipulation of information to control their
populations.
Now western media, and
browsers, including social media - is also riddled with state, corporate,
military and political employees and contractors (and other fronts, paid sock puppets
and other persona) who manipulate information and drown out, suppress or censor opposing
views from the grass roots centre - in order to control what we say, think or
do, and above all - to influence how we vote.
This is blatantly
evident in the degradation of Browser search results, the sanitized content of
Wikipedia, and the growing tide of complaints about censorship and suppression
in social media.
On the positive side - The Singularity has
not yet arrived. Human beings own and operate the Big Brother Browsers and
social media platforms. Human beings currently control governments and
corporations and the media.
I would like to think that most of those in positions of power
and influence have a conscience - and aren't sociopaths or psychopaths. I think most of them
want to do what is right - but their idea of what is right is not necessarily
in alignment with what others think is right.
Totalitarianism, in any of it's manifestations (whether it is repression of speech, thought, or behavioural conditioning / social engineering (brain washing) in order to control speech, thought and behaviour is NOT right. It is wrong.
We, the grassroots have to find
an alternative way to get our opinions about values seen by the powers that be - in a peaceful, but
powerful way.
The purpose of
TheThinkProject2018 designs is to stimulate people who see these design themes
to start thinking and talking about important matters, that relate to values,
relationships, current affairs, hope, the future, and how we can help improve
the world from the grass roots up - by not just refocusing our thoughts and
conversations; but by also visibly showing what we do not accept, as well as by
showing what we believe is important.
If you are happy with
the current state of affairs, TheThinkProject2018 Grass Roots Messaging designs
(which are about universal principles, not politicians or political parties) are not for you.
However if you think
that we, the grass roots need to speak out to avoid descending further into an oppressive, unfree, 1984 / Brave New World style dystopia; then, given the obstacles presented
by the hijacking of the internet and social media by powerful elites - you
might consider physically showing your views on what you disapprove of, and what you
expect - on items of clothing and accessories with these designs.
One person cannot change the world.
But we voted our politicians in. We can vote them out.
Our opinion
counts.
If we work
together - we can help change the world for the better - by showing what we, the
grass roots disapprove of, and what we expect.
People in positions of power and influence who have a conscience and an ethical backbone surely must wake up, and realize we have to stop this descent into 1984 / Brave New World style dystopian existance now - or the future for the human race looks grim indeed.
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My inspirational, motivational and grass roots messaging designs (and designs just for fun) can be found on a wide variety of products that are custom printed on your order at:
https://www.redbubble.com/people/Think2018
Thank you for visiting my Blog.
I hope you will support TheThinkProject2018 Project.
Debbie Sheridan
TheThinkProject2018
Auckland, New Zealand
