Preconceived Notions

preconceived notion

1.
 n   an opinion formed beforehand without adequate evidence

Synonyms: parti pris, preconceived idea, preconceived opinion, preconception, prepossession

Type of: opinion, persuasion, sentiment, thought, view

a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty
(from the Vocabulary.com Dictionary)

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We all hold preconceived notions, often based on what we've seen in the past or on what somebody else has told us. It is all part of our brain's process of reasoning and decision making.

The internet and the digital age in general have made preconceived notions a huge problem, though. Any idea, no matter how outlandish it might seem, can be planted into the heads of millions in a matter of minutes and generate preconceived notions. The threat that holds for the free world is dire. Let's consult an expert ...

It has happened before and it is happening right now in the United States of America, folks. Some of what is going on follows the known formula for fascist takeover as if it came right out of a textbook. The relentless assaults on the truth, the use of the Christian religion to divide us, the blowing the perceived Muslim threat out of proportion using cherry-picked and even completely false information, the constant distractions , the bashing of the free press, the barring of the free press ... what have I missed? 

This isn't some wild-assed conspiracy theory - it is what is happening, right now. And the planting of preconceived notions is playing a major role. People, many of whom are fiercely independent and value their freedom, are being brainwashed with a bucket of lies and half-truths being spread on the internet.   

The internet also has the capability of undoing some of the damage that it has helped to bring about. The video below is a good example of how the internet can debunk some of our preconceived notions:

How many of these did you get right? Do you think that any preconceived notions you had played a part in your choices?

Let's all try to be aware of what our own preconceived notions are and wary of those who are trying to generate new ones.

Our Democracy depends on it!

Love, Mothra

Science Under Fire

I am a firm believer that there is a purposeful agenda by the right to "dumb down" the American people. Other than likely interference and possible Trump campaign collusion with Russia, I believe that this dumbing down is part of why Donald Trump was elected. Alternative facts were (and still are being) planted in the brains of many people who either never learned or forgot how to think critically.

Some of the worst and most dangerous alternative facts that have been planted have to do with science. Scientists, collectors of real data, are being usurped by idiot conspiracy theorists like Alex Jones, religious zealots preaching the ridiculous literal Bible story of creation over the theory of evolution, and especially Donald Trump himself who constantly gets his "facts" from dubious sources or just makes them up. 

For this reason, I went out and marched in the St. Paul, Minnesota March for Science. Many people have asked me, "Why the March for Science?" What I said above is the main reason. A lot of people feel similarly. 

We had over 10,000 show up in St. Paul and there also were more than 600 other cities worldwide that had marches. It was so cool to look around and see the size of the crowd and some of the signs were awesome. The speakers were impressive and the signs people were carrying were great. This was my first "march" and it was a great experience.

I'll end this post with some photos from the St. Paul, Minnesota March for Science.

There is No Planet B - March for Science, St. Paul, Minnesota, 4/22/17

Break the Cycle, Rise Above, Focus on Science - March for Science, St. Paul, Minnesota, 4/22/17

We Don't Have Enough Funds to Make A Better Sign - March for Science, St. Paul, Minn,

No Science = No Beer! March for Science, St. Paul, Minnesota 4/22/17

May the Facts Be With You - March for Science, St. Paul, Minnesota, 4/22/17

Danger, Alternative Facts Removal - March for Science, St. Paul, Minnesota, 4/22/17

Crowd dispersing at the March for Science, St. Paul, Minnesota, 4/22/17

Keep the Earth clean, it's not Uranus. - March for Science, St. Paul, Minnesota, 4/22/17

Invasive Species - trumpelon - March for Science, St. Paul, Minnesota, 4/22/17

Think!!!

Reality Check

If you think you have a right to an opinion that is based on "alternative facts" or out of context cherry-pickings, think again. 

Yes, we all have a right to our own opinions, but if an opinion is based on lies, it is not an opinion. It is a joke, it is a show of ignorance, you have no right to spread it around as if it was fact, and anybody who has checked the facts has every right to cross you on it.

This applies to both left and right, but the bulk of the "alternative facts" epidemic has come and still comes from the right. We desperately need to get out of our black hole of ignorance. Every single thing we see and hear via every type of media (radio, TV, print and especially online) needs to be verified to see if it is reality.

Too much work to check a story out before you share it? Keep it to yourself, then. Here are a few tips about posting. I'd be glad to list other tips, too, if you have them.

• If the article you want to post is mainly speculation but you'd like to put it out there to discuss it, identify it as such in your post. Don't put it out there like it's something that is for sure going to happen. It makes you look like a conspiracy-theorist idiot.

• If the headline is extremely misleading or false click-bait, even if the article checks out, don't post it.

• Is the article undated?  Red Flag!  No reputable media outlet will post something without dating it. Don't post it unless you thoroughly check it out, and then only if you state that you thoroughly checked it out.

• If it is old news or it is referencing old news as if it just happened, don't just post the article without stating the relevant date in your post.

• Look on the site you are re-posting from and make sure that it is not a satire or hybrid (part reality, part satire) site. Don't make yourself look like a fool by getting up in arms about a piece of cynical humor.
• "But it goes along with my views! I want to post it!" Don't post it unless you check the facts, especially when it is something that people know fits right in with your views. Keep your credibility; check it out first.

• "It's a free country - I can post whatever I damned well please!" If you want it to stay a free country, realize what a threat the spreading of false information is to our democracy and in turn, our freedom. Stick with facts!

• Be careful what you believe! Many political entities have an agenda, and that agenda is to get you to think the way they want you to think, any way that they can do it. Step back and look at the possible motives behind an article. Take the blinders off, hold it up to the light and question it with an open mind. That's not called being a liberal, it's called critical thinking.

Love, Mothra

Kill the Release

KILL THE RELEASE! - Randy Rainbow Song Parody

This is Randy Rainbow's New York Times Video Op-ed, published March 18, 2017. You can view it in the NYT here: Randy Rainbow's New York Times Video Op-ed

Disney released Beauty and the Beast on March 17th and it features their first openly gay character. Not surprisingly, conservative fundamentalists are in an uproar, planning boycotts etc. but most moviegoers are saying that a mountain is being made out of a mole hill. The "gay" aspect of the movie is minor according to most people who have seen it. It's just sort of "there" as the film progresses but there is no sex involved nor is there even anything that could be considered risque.

Randy's video hilariously mocks the fundamentalist views of gayness, such as the fear of "catching" it like some communicable disease. Kick back and have a laugh!

Like Randy? Check out his YouTube Channel: Randy Rainbow

Love, Mothra

Randy Interviews Ivanka

Randy Rainbow Interviews Ivanka Trump

Randy Rainbow interviews Ivanka Trump about all her titles, ("career woman, mother, daughter, wife, daughter-wife...") among other things. Some highlights: "President's daughter (not Tiffany) discusses her new fake job." Ivanka: "Ass-Hat to the administration." Heh heh.

Like Randy? Check out his YouTube Channel: Randy Rainbow

Love, Mothra

The Big Lie

The Big Lie Behind the Rise of Donald Trump

In the following video, Bill Moyers, Chris Lebron (Political Philosopher at Yale University), Nell Painter (Historian, Princeton University, Emeritus), Khalil Gibran Muhammad (Historian, Harvard Kennedy School), and Philip Klinkner (Political Scientist, Hamilton College) discuss the big lie that Donald Trump rode to power on.

I quite honestly find it bone-chilling. The reason why I find it bone-chilling is because people I know are right there in the thick of it. So many are people I have worked with, played with, people I grew up with, went to Sunday School with, my neighbors, my friends... They are buying into this big lie, and in fact they are willing to ignore facts in order to cling to it. 


White supremacism and the utter ignorance and blindness that goes along with it is alive and well in the good old U. S. of A. What can we do about it?

Love, Mothra