State Fair Incident: A Reflection on Our Changing World
I was involved in an “incident” at a state fair yesterday. It made me think about what’s happening to the world around us.
Memories of the State Fair
I grew up near the state fairgrounds and would often go to the fair every day of its 10-day run. As kids, we took pride in sneaking in without paying. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve gone to the fair and spent most of the day there. But yesterday, something happened that I had never experienced before.
Reconnecting with an Old Friend
A friend I hadn’t seen for quite a while suggested that we get together at the fair. My friend is a professional photographer who writes and takes pictures for several suburban newspapers. Every year at fair time, he does “fair duty,” taking pictures of fair visitors for the papers. He takes a lot of photos.
The Incident
As we walked around the fair, visiting our favorite spots, my friend snapped picture after picture as we caught up. Suddenly, a short, muscular man ripped the very expensive camera out of my friend’s hand. At first, we thought it was simple theft, but the man didn’t run very far. He had two young sons and a teenaged daughter with him. He looked extremely angry and started screaming at my friend.
“I know what you are, you pervert. I’ve been following you. You came here to take pictures of young girls. You took a picture of my daughter. You’re a filthy old man.”
Trying to Explain
We tried to explain things to him and pointed out that he was guilty of theft. The fair is a public space where people have no expectation of privacy. But he remained livid and said he wanted to smash the camera and destroy all the photos on it. The daughter looked embarrassed, and the two sons just looked confused.
Intervention by Fair Staff
A young fair staff member with a lanyard and a nametag appeared and told both sides that we were free to call 911. The guy was still hysterical and didn’t seem to want the police involved. I insisted that the staffer call the police. He separated us while making the call. While we waited for the police, I asked the staffer to suggest that if the guy gave the camera back, my friend would delete the photo and we wouldn’t press charges for theft. He said he had already tried that, but it didn’t work.
Police Arrive
Eventually, three police officers arrived. One talked to us, and the other two worked with the enraged guy. By this time, the guy had located the photo of his family on the phone and showed it to the police, insisting that my friend was a dangerous pervert. As he scrolled through the hundreds of photos on the phone, he kept shouting, “look, there’s another teenage girl.” He didn’t notice how many pictures he had to scroll through to find each suspect photo.
Resolution
We were still separated, so I couldn’t hear what the other police officers were saying to the guy. He was still angry but seemed to be losing steam. The police showed him my friend’s press credentials, but it didn’t seem to have much effect.
Eventually, my friend got his camera back, though the guy had completely drained the battery. We were told we were free to go, but they kept the guy there, probably to calm him down and make sure he didn’t come after us. We walked away without looking back.
Understanding the Anger
It would be easy to say the guy was suffering from mental problems, but I don’t think he was. He was articulate and genuinely concerned about his daughter. At one point, I saw him hug his daughter and heard him give a very moving apology to her for having embarrassed her. His arguments made complete sense if you accepted his premise.
The Power of Pattern Recognition
Humans are very good at pattern recognition. It’s an evolutionary adaptation that helped us find food and protect ourselves from enemies. Humans with good pattern-recognition skills were more likely to survive and reproduce. In the end, we’re so good at it that we can see patterns that don’t actually exist. We see animals in the clouds, and after hearing a couple of stories about vaccinated parents who later gave birth to autistic children, some of us conclude that vaccines cause autism.
The Role of Media
What’s changed is that we now live in a world where cable news and social media have trained people to believe that there are perverts, pedophiles, child-molesters, and groomers lurking behind every rock and tree. It’s a safe bet that the rage this guy carried came from consuming the toxic output of professional dog-whistlers like Alex Jones, Glen Beck, Rush Limbaugh, and the interchangeable pundits doing Rupert Murdoch’s bidding.
The Impact of Fearmongering
Stephen Miller, one of former-president Trump’s closest advisors, and a devoted soldier in the army of unprincipled fearmongers, said in a recent interview, “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are the number one traffickers of children, girls, into sex slavery on planet Earth.”
These heartless individuals are not warning people about real dangers but are instead trying to gain money and power. This is why they oppose science and education and have worked so diligently to destroy public education. Educated people know that vaccines do more good than harm. They know that immigrants commit fewer crimes than native-born citizens and that the taxes they pay outweigh what they cost us. They know that there is no army of dangerous brown people surging across the border to rape and murder them. They also know that climate change is an existential threat to humans.
The Real Villains
The vicious, rich individuals who foment fear and anger over these issues, and the obscenely rich who support them, know that they are spreading dangerous lies. They don’t care. They’re not going to lose a moment’s sleep over the fact that they’re turning the world around us into an angry mess. It’s a sad irony that I respect the guy who threatened my friend more than they do.
FAQs
1. What is the main topic of the article “What’s Wrong with People?”
The article discusses various societal issues and behaviors that are perceived as problematic, including political polarization, misinformation, and social media’s impact on society.
2. What are some examples of behaviors that the article criticizes?
- Political polarization and the inability to engage in civil discourse.
- The spread of misinformation and disinformation.
- The negative impact of social media on mental health and social interactions.
- The erosion of critical thinking skills.
3. How does the article address the issue of political polarization?
The article argues that political polarization has led to a breakdown in civil discourse, where people are more likely to engage in echo chambers and less likely to consider opposing viewpoints.
4. What role does social media play in the issues discussed in the article?
The article suggests that social media platforms have contributed to the spread of misinformation, the amplification of extreme views, and the erosion of critical thinking skills by providing instant gratification and validation through likes and shares.
5. How does misinformation impact society according to the article?
The article contends that misinformation can lead to confusion, mistrust, and poor decision-making. It also highlights how misinformation can be used as a tool for political manipulation and control.
6. What are some strategies for improving critical thinking skills?
The article proposes several strategies for improving critical thinking skills, including seeking diverse sources of information, engaging in constructive dialogue with those who hold different views, and being cautious of information that seems too good (or bad) to be true.
7. How can individuals contribute to a more civil and informed public discourse?
The article suggests several ways individuals can contribute to a more civil and informed public discourse, such as engaging in respectful conversations with those who hold different opinions, seeking out credible sources of information, and promoting media literacy.
8. What are some potential consequences of not addressing these societal issues?
The article warns that if these societal issues are not addressed, they could lead to further polarization, erosion of trust in institutions, and decreased civic engagement.
9. Are there any positive trends or movements mentioned in the article?
The article notes that there are positive trends and movements aimed at addressing these issues, such as the rise of fact-checking initiatives and community-based efforts to promote media literacy and critical thinking.
10. How can readers get involved in creating positive change based on the article’s recommendations?
The article encourages readers to engage in constructive dialogue with others, support organizations working on media literacy and critical thinking initiatives, and advocate for policies that promote transparency and accountability in information dissemination.
