You Will Know The Truth

...And the truth will set you free. This news flash coming in from the wisest of the wise.

This past week has been another whirlwind of incoming information from all across the globe, from wars, international relations, economic follies both corporate and governmental, human rights violations and struggles and victories, environmental challenges, natural disasters, cuteness alerts, wikileaks news, and the list goes on.

Is anyone watching? Most people that I know get information on a zero to none basis. Many are concerned only with entertainments, which are of course, necessary in regular but limited doses. Others watch only local papers or news from one channel. This could be toxic to your understanding.

Yesterday I stumbled upon the official state "News" source for Russia, PRAVDA. The news factor was minimal, while the propaganda and spin was through the roof. As I said to a friend, a steady diet of this garbage would produce a very sickly specimen. The Russian public would by default be led to dangerous conclusions based on the pablum that they are fed every day. Do they have other options for information? Do they want them? These things I do not know, but I do know that you and I have every opportunity to dig for all the information that we can find published on any given subject.

Democracy of the people, by the people, and for the people demands participation in order for it to function properly. Each individual has a responsibility to think, speak, act for the common good. The danger to our form of government comes when the individual chooses to act on his or her own behalf alone and at all times. Could this be happening too often in these times? Is this a factor in the troubles we are experiencing?

As for me, I choose to be one of the "irrationally ______, rationally ______." See if you can fill in the blanks after watching this TedX piece with Mr. Jefferson Smith at Concordia in Portland, recommended by Ezra Klein, via YouTube.

Have a responsible day.