We're heavily propagandized from birth. I realize that happens to greater or lesser degrees, around the world, but overworked, underpaid, tired, struggling for necessities, junk science with fake peer reviews and certain governments strongarming (to put it mildly) other governments. Cognitive dissonance waved away with professional terms. Overwhelm, in short. I only have the "luxury" of scratching the surface of my own enforced, propagandized ignorance because I'm chronically underemployed, my offspring is an adult, and other factors. Critical thinking isn't rewarded, often punished, and it's hard, especially when you've been deliberately misguided for decades, from birth.

I can't begin to imagine how exhausting it must be for you. I am grateful for your patience and gentleness with me as I struggle to remedy whatever is within my personal capacity to remedy, with the time and resources available to me, and would urge continued patience, for the few who may still be reached.

[–] yogthos@lemmy.ml 7 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Thanks, and you are very much on point here. The worst part is that propaganda is so pervasive that most people don't even recognize it. There's an anchoring effect at play here as well where people naturally assume that the society they grew up in is the natural default. Any deviation from that is seen as being extreme as a result.

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

You're welcome? I haven't done anything but share a limited perspective, and I'm happy you appreciated it.

There's an anchoring effect at play here as well where people naturally assume that the society they grew up in is the natural default. Any deviation from that is seen as being extreme as a result.

That even happens from household to household, in the same neighborhood.

[–] yogthos@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 month ago

For sure, people internalize the dominant narrative and then everybody just repeats it to each other without really thinking about it. At the end of the day, most people want to fit in and they subconsciously adjust their views to match those of others around them.