I will tell you two true stories and you judge for yourself.
Few days ago I was listening on the news how some old man came to kindergarten and picked up a child. Half an hour later some other people came who turned out to be real parents of the child and were basically told that child was picked up by a strange old man. The only problem was that in family they didn’t have anyone who fitted that description. Needless to say deep feeling of fear and sense of powerlessness came over them. What were going to do, they always thought this was a safe neighborhood and now their only child was missing. They did only thing they could have done in that situation, they notified police and waited ... Police promptly launched immediate search … (I will continue this story later)
Let me now tell you another story..
Not long ago Mr Peterson (not his real name) was told by his wife to go an pick up his grandson from the kindergarten. Which he did. Mr Peterson was a calm character one would say a bit clumsy too in a way but definitely someone who would go out of his way to avoid hurting you even if it meant hurting himself. Anyway, Mr. Peterson, picked his grandson bought him an ice-cream and two of them strolled down the street when all of a sudden ….. whoosh
Couple of police cars suddenly pulled over and interrupted grandpa’s and grandsons idyllic time together. Mr. Peterson even started yelling at them “are you mad, don't you idiots see child walking on the footpath? ….” Police woman promptly checked the child out and asked him what is your name …. Do you know this man … No … quickly they were both picked into the station.
What turned out was that Mr. Peterson was vision impaired and while being able to recognize silhouette and it worked very well for him but apparently not always, which sometimes accounted for his “bizarre/strange” appearance; poor guy was just trying to make best of little sight in his eyes he got left.
Yes you guessed it right. These two are exactly the same stories, from two different angles. Actually the first one is the version that was all over the radio and news, second one was only later aired on daily talk show not in news anymore (News people basically ruined poor guy's reputation just like that, no apology no nothing)
It is interesting how by using words like “strange old man” story gets completely different dimension. It is a story of suspense, expectation and drama. Those well-targeted words evoke very precise feelings in us listening to it and to us those feelings are real, that is how we are wired to react. The danger is that we interpret our feelings as representatives of the truth. Media people know that and also know how to present story to evoke strongest possible reaction.
Which also brings me to what is happening in our courtrooms where lawyers can skillfully “explain” away things, plant seed of doubt under guise of seeking the “real” truth and basically through the case of acrobatical reasoning make innocent person look guilty and let guilty one go free.
The problem I see is that such kind or reasoning filters down more and more to general population where no one trust anyone anymore. People first and foremost tend to believe that someone is after them to hurt them and any event around them is filtered through same lenses.
No wonder we can’t trust each other anymore, but have we all become victims in all pervading spirit of modern culture that reinforces such feelings? Because I would argue that most people are good and decent. You can see that easily when any disaster strikes how they help each other. (of course there are always looters but they are overall minority)
Or was that also in NY not long ago when power went out. People set on the streets talking to each other and singing songs. Heck, even media people got pleasant shock out of it (one would wonder why)
I would almost dare to say that people in those situations reacted naturally in the way they are really wired because there was no outside influence on their minds – media in particular – there was no one to paint their picture of what is “really” going on.
I’ve read Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam few years ago (highly recommended book to anyone concerned with lack of trust among the people http://www.bowlingalone.com)
Through the use of well presented statistics professor Putnam describes alarming picture of modern day America. The picture we all would find very familiar. Among other things he also says ..
“Americans are right that the bonds of our communities have withered, and we are right to fear that this transformation has very real costs” I would say not only American, our whole western world has got swept by the profound lack of trust and expectation of worst to happened or been done to us. No wonder fundamentalist religions and political demagogs are thriving in such an environment.
Your thoughts please.