Propaganda Barbie & Alternative Facts

For those of you who don't own a dictionary or are too lazy to Google it, a fact is "a piece of information presented as having objective reality." That is, something that can be objectively* proven.

An alternative fact, on the other hand, is a falsehood, or lie, something told or written with the express purpose to deceive. Or, as we students of political science and history call it, propaganda, "information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view."

During World War II, there were a handful of women (and men) who used the airwaves (radio) as a means to spread Nazi and Axis propaganda. Two of the most famous, or infamous, were Axis Sally (who was born in Maine but moved to Berlin in 1934) and Tokyo Rose (another American, who broadcast from Japan).

Over 70 years later, in 2016, another woman has joined their illustrious ranks, rising to fame on her ability to create or repeat and spread lies and half-truths over the airwaves. Her name, Kellyanne Conway, or, as she was recently dubbed, Propaganda Barbie.


Back in the 1940s, before there was the Internet, determining what was true and what wasn't could take a little time -- and a trip to the library. Today, though, it is easy to separate fact from fiction, thanks to a number of objective fact-checking sites, such as PoliFact, FactCheck.org, Snopes, and Fact Checker.

Yet millions of Americans are too lazy, or biased, to search out the truth, preferring to hear what they want to hear rather than risk cognitive dissonance. Which, to quote our new Propagandist in Chief, is "sad."

Bonus video: Depeche Mode, "Policy of Truth"



*And for those who don't know what objectively means, it means independently or without bias.

UPDATED 2/3/17: Propaganda Barbie (aka Kellyanne Conway) strikes again! There was no "Bowling Green Massacre," folks, nor did the Obama administration ever "ban" refugees.

It's the stupidity

Stupidity. According to the dictionary, the definition of stupidity is "behavior that shows a lack of good sense or judgement." Synonyms include "lack of intelligence," "foolishness," and "ignorance."

Well, this election cycle we have seen a lot of stupidity -- as in a lack of intelligence, foolishness, and ignorance. (And here I thought things couldn't get worse after Sarah Palin. Guess that was foolish thinking on my part.)

Maybe it's because I was taught from a young age to do my research and search out the facts -- though every person who has ever gone to school is taught to do that -- but I am stunned (though not surprised) by the amount of willful ignorance exhibited by so many supporters of the candidates running for President of the United States this year, as well as many of the candidates themselves.

I get knowing the facts, but choosing to not let certain negative things override (dare I say 'trump'?) your support of a particular candidate. (Do I think Hillary Clinton was stupid, or naive, to use a personal email server? Yes. Will that stop me from voting for her in the general election? No. And please, all you Republicans and Sanders supporters, do not take that comment as an invitation to dump all over Hillary in the comments, which are now moderated, for good reason.)

But being told and shown the facts, repeatedly, and refusing to believe them? That is just stupidity -- and willful ignorance -- and is not the way to make America great again.