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Is there an agenda to 'dumb down' the common person?

  • 15-09-2010 4:43pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 421 ✭✭


    Hi everyone,

    Forgive me if this seems like an impossibly vague question to put out here, but I am very interested in the for/against views in relation to this concern.

    For a well-balanced view (I believe) on the potential those in power possess to manipulate the mindset of the masses, I would recommend watching the documentary series The Century of the Self.

    Further to the conclusions reached by this documentary (and not necessarily suggested by it), one may well wonder if those in power have a vested interest in keeping the common person from reaching a (dangerous?) pinnacle of well-informed rationality.

    The reason I'm asking the above question is because I will be making a short video with some people (I am only involved in the music end of it) about the putative agenda that exists to 'dumb us down', and keep us in obsequious flocks of sh*t-scared sheep.

    I am inclined to believe there might be a basis for this (possibly, and particularly, in relation to the US government), but I really couldn't say for sure.

    Any resources/opinions are welcome!


«13456711

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,672 ✭✭✭seannash


    in a word no

    people have overcome great odds to rise to become very well educated people.

    if a person from one school turns out to be a rocket scientist and someone from the same class is an absolute idiot it is not a sinister conspiracy its simply the fact that one person wanted to study and succeed and the other one didnt.

    it just so happens that the majority of people dont try to be as great as they can potentially be and as such advertisers,tv,magazines(who are there to make money) cater there product to the mass public.

    i didnt look at the documentary because i dont really need to.ive heard this argument before


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,826 ✭✭✭✭nullzero
    °°°°°


    My reading of it is that it is possible that a small number of people control the world and have an agenda that doesn't benefit the majority of the people.

    Taking that as a back drop you could then say that these people are ruthless and will stop at nothing to achieve their goals.
    They are however still few in numbers so therefor it would be wise for the masses they control to be kept in a state of disinterest in the machinations of how the world works.

    I'm not going down the road of stating anything as fact or otherwise but there are a whole host of arguments about the reasons for mass vaccinations, water treatment the possibilty of the Chem trails theory being accurate and mind manipulation through the media and education.

    I'll try to come back and address these topics in more detail but that's just a rough outline of what to expect when you ask the questions you put forward in the OP.
    Hopefully you'll get some answers or at least an interesting discussion out of this.

    Glazers Out!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,826 ✭✭✭✭nullzero
    °°°°°


    seannash wrote: »
    in a word no

    people have overcome great odds to rise to become very well educated people.

    if a person from one school turns out to be a rocket scientist and someone from the same class is an absolute idiot it is not a sinister conspiracy its simply the fact that one person wanted to study and succeed and the other one didnt.

    it just so happens that the majority of people dont try to be as great as they can potentially be and as such advertisers,tv,magazines(who are there to make money) cater there product to the mass public.

    i didnt look at the documentary because i dont really need to.ive heard this argument before

    Thats an astute post but it's also kind of trite at the same time.
    You can examine a topic without being sold on it.

    Glazers Out!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,128 ✭✭✭✭Oranage2


    I'm not sure about dumbing people down although i wouldn't rule it out.

    I think the agenda is to educate people into believing what they want us to believe like what the Nazis did in germany,

    The new world order want us to believe in climate change so they can tax carbon which is rediculous that someone can own carbon, which makes me wonder what will they tax next? possibly oxygen?

    They also wants us to believe that money is so important when really money is only paper that actually has no value anymore yet people have un limited power and other people are dying because they havent got any.

    The day they get rid of paper money and we just have electronic money will be the day we are complete slaves.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,831 ✭✭✭Torakx


    That is a question i ask myself quite alot.
    Ive been reading up on everything i can find over the years related to this and i would say that either the system in place is designed to do this or else its run by the biggest bunch of idiots that could possibly gain power or control over all these various forms of influencing/depriving society.
    This is such a wide topic imo.
    There are many ways to dumb down society in general.
    Not only tv and other distractions but also enviornmental causes.
    I dont know if i was born in the dark ages,i remember butter vouchers :) but i didnt learn alot of important things in school that i consider vital for teenagers and kids to know.
    Maybe it really is just a bunch of morons,its just too obvious where the problems are coming from for me to believe its just bad policy.
    Some other things come to mind on that line of thought.
    Some governments are happy to have the option to take your kids off you or let them go on the streets.But neglect to do society a favour and teach the next generations how to deal with home and life issues.
    These issues are the cause of much of the crimes i would guess in the states due to a stressfull enviornment.
    Also there is money to be made building prisons.
    Dont forget to update us on this new video.I would like to see it :)


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,227 ✭✭✭The Highwayman


    Look into the effects of fluoride in water


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 728 ✭✭✭joebucks


    Priori wrote: »
    Further to the conclusions reached by this documentary (and not necessarily suggested by it), one may well wonder if those in power have a vested interest in keeping the common person from reaching a (dangerous?) pinnacle of well-informed rationality.

    I watched this documentary a couple of years ago and found it very interesting. All of Adam Curtis' stuff is very well researched and worth a watch. The Trap and the Power of Nightmares in particular.

    For further info on the 'dumbing down' or distraction of the masses, you should check out Noam Chomsky's 'Manufacturing Consent'

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJuqoDvyXOk

    And there is also a new documentary about this topic going around called Psywars which features Chomsky and discusses Edward Bernays, Rockefellers, Propaganda, Invasion of Iraq etc. Well worth a watch.



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,584 ✭✭✭digme


    Priori wrote: »
    Hi everyone,

    Forgive me if this seems like an impossibly vague question to put out here, but I am very interested in the for/against views in relation to this concern.

    For a well-balanced view (I believe) on the potential those in power possess to manipulate the mindset of the masses, I would recommend watching the documentary series The Century of the Self.

    Further to the conclusions reached by this documentary (and not necessarily suggested by it), one may well wonder if those in power have a vested interest in keeping the common person from reaching a (dangerous?) pinnacle of well-informed rationality.

    The reason I'm asking the above question is because I will be making a short video with some people (I am only involved in the music end of it) about the putative agenda that exists to 'dumb us down', and keep us in obsequious flocks of sh*t-scared sheep.

    I am inclined to believe there might be a basis for this (possibly, and particularly, in relation to the US government), but I really couldn't say for sure.

    Any resources/opinions are welcome!
    Well considering school is nothing more than a baby sitting service,I would have to say, yes most definitely.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,122 ✭✭✭TalkieWalkie


    Good topic.

    Yes, there is an agenda to dumb folk down, without question.

    Here is an entertaining example of a role model for millions of children. I'll get into more detail in a later post.



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 343 ✭✭Sparticle


    digme wrote: »
    Well considering school is nothing more than a baby sitting service,I would have to say, yes most definitely.

    As someone in school I would disagree with that statement completely.

    The only dumbing down I see is decreased attention spans in children brought up on modern media such as the internet but they are still a thousand times more informed than a child of similar age fifteen years ago.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 959 ✭✭✭maringo


    Are we the only country in Europe that poisons the water with flouride and feeds it to the citizens?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,128 ✭✭✭✭Oranage2


    Sparticle wrote: »
    As someone in school I would disagree with that statement completely.

    The only dumbing down I see is decreased attention spans in children brought up on modern media such as the internet but they are still a thousand times more informed than a child of similar age fifteen years ago.

    this explains alot

    Also how do you know kids today have less attention spans and how do you know it's caused by new aged media? Sounds likes you've been brain washed just believing what they tell you, and you're being told this in schools and in the media.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,122 ✭✭✭TalkieWalkie


    maringo wrote: »
    Are we the only country in Europe that poisons the water with flouride and feeds it to the citizens?

    I believe so, apart from one or two counties in England. Many countries in Europe put Fluoride in salt and other things. Least it's still optional.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluoridation_by_country

    This subject has been battered to death here very recently. :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,620 ✭✭✭sligopark


    maringo wrote: »
    Are we the only country in Europe that poisons the water with flouride and feeds it to the citizens?


    No I think the german war party of the early 20th centruy infused the water of those going to the ovens with fluoride


    NWO - the elite, non informed cashless sheeple slaves and the useless eaters infused with liberalism removing rights and increased immorality

    pretty much sums up FF policies right now and the beginning of the sheeple population (now described as citizens) who do not know how to riot

    back home to mammy folks


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 343 ✭✭Sparticle


    Oranage2 wrote: »
    this explains alot

    Please explain to me how I'm dumbed down by learning organic chemistry and the poetry of Robert Frost?

    Oranage2 wrote: »
    Also how do you know kids today have less attention spans and how do you know it's caused by new aged media? Sounds likes you've been brain washed just believing what they tell you, and you're being told this in schools and in the media.

    I never said new aged media?? Do you mean new types of media or the ct "new age" media?
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15060216
    http://www.naho.ca/firstnations/documents/Children_Technology_Factsheet-12-11-09.pdf

    (Bare in mind I am making the jump from television to internet in relation to these links)

    Anecdotally I see more and more children being unable to say the alphabet by age six. But the older generation always comments on the social decay of the next so I'd take that with a pinch of salt.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,620 ✭✭✭sligopark


    Sparticle wrote: »
    Please explain to me how I'm dumbed down by learning organic chemistry and the poetry of Robert Frost?

    possibly not but I think the 'education' referred to is media information and cover up


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,150 ✭✭✭kumate_champ07


    We are dumbed down into becoming consumers of overly priced goods which most of are unnecessary, and to afford these items we need to work 40+hrs a week in a place that makes/designs/sells goods that we end up buying back, while a very tiny minority boost their egos with the amount of wealth collected, which sits somewhere doing nothing while people in the realword die because they dont have enough money to make the wealthy even more rich

    without a job people become down because they have less money to feed the addiction they could afford before and sometimes they look at the world for how it is. having a job distracts them from this reality and makes them forget and then gain a false sense of happiness/contentment


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 421 ✭✭Priori


    seannash wrote: »
    people have overcome great odds to rise to become very well educated people.

    Agreed. I appreciate the individual differences that do exist between people that might be responsible for one doing rocket science, while the other never opens a book; I believe these differences will always exist. However, the broader question deals with those very 'odds' you mention; if there is an agenda of some kind which intends to keep the common person 'common' (if you get my meaning), the proportion of 'dummies' (sorry) that constitute any given society will gradually increase.

    A case in point: I have spoken to university lecturers who are concerned that the number of incoming students who possess the ability to think critically and independently (in a competent manner) is diminishing significantly, perhaps due to the fact that the leaving cert points race hardly encourages the flourishing of true intelligence. Without 'sparknotes', many (even in university) would be lost.
    seannash wrote: »
    i didnt look at the documentary because i dont really need to.ive heard this argument before

    The documentary series focuses on how Freud's ideas were adapted by those in power (in the media/marketing sectors in particular) throughout the 20th century, and the efforts made to comprehend (in order to manipulate) the mindset/desires of the masses. As the documentary is of historical/intellectual interest, I'm a little puzzled by that statement. But no matter; I didn't synopsise the content of the documentary, so it's understandable if you assumed it was directly supporting this particular conspiracy theory.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 421 ✭✭Priori


    Good topic.

    Yes, there is an agenda to dumb folk down, without question.

    Here is an entertaining example of a role model for millions of children. I'll get into more detail in a later post.


    Her famous 'answer' features in the video! :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 421 ✭✭Priori


    joebucks wrote: »
    And there is also a new documentary about this topic going around called Psywars which features Chomsky and discusses Edward Bernays, Rockefellers, Propaganda, Invasion of Iraq etc. Well worth a watch.

    Thanks joebucks, I'll definitely give that a watch.


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  • Site Banned Posts: 8,331 ✭✭✭Brown Bomber


    Of course we are being dumbed down. How else could so few control so many for so long? The motive is simple: A breakdown of society's morals, individualism and ultimately the ability to organise resistance against our masters. It's all rooted in money.


    People are more interested in Wayne Rooney banging a prostitute, or Ricky Fatton snorting a few lines than a US drone killing innocent civilians in Pakistan or the Roma's being forced to leave France by that midget Sarkozy. IMO this can only be possible through mass hypnosis and distraction.

    A good source on thie education side for anyone who is interested is retired school teacher John Taylor Gatto
    http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=john+taylor+gatto&aq=0


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,122 ✭✭✭TalkieWalkie


    http://vigilantcitizen.com/?p=4051


    Dumbing Down Society Part I: Foods, Beverages and Meds



    Is there a deliberate effort by the government to dumb down the masses? The statement is hard to prove but there exists a great amount of data proving that the ruling elite not only tolerates, but effectively introduces policies that have a detrimental effect on the physical and mental health of the population. This series of articles looks at the many ways the modern man is being dumbed down. Part I looks at the poisons found in everyday foods, beverages and medications.
    leaddumb.jpg


    The theme of dumbing-down and dehumanizing the masses are often discussed in articles on The Vigilant Citizen. The presence of those concepts in popular culture are, however, only the outward and symbolic expression of the profound transformation happening in our society. Scientific data has been proving for years that governments around the world are tolerating the selling of many products which have a direct and negative effect on cognitive and physical health. As we will see in this article many everyday products cause brain damage, impaired judgment and even a lower IQ.
    Is a dumber population something that is desired by the elite? Hitler once said “How fortunate for the leaders that men do not think.” An educated population knows its rights, understands the issues and takes action when it does not approve of what is going on. Judging by the incredible amount of data available on the subject, it seems that the elite want the exact opposite: an unhealthy, frightened, confused and sedated population. We will look at the effects of medication, pesticides, fluoride and aspartame on the human body and how those products are being pushed by people from inside the power structure.
    Prescription Drug Abuse

    ritalin-e1277324631455.jpg


    America has witnessed during the last decades a staggering rise of drugs being prescribed to treat all kinds of problems. Children are particularly affected by this phenomenon. Since the 1990′s, an ever-rising proportion of American children are being diagnosed with “illnesses” such as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and are prescribed mind-altering drugs, such as Ritalin.
    The DEA has become alarmed by the tremendous increase in the prescribing of these drugs in recent years. Since 1990, prescriptions for methylphenidate have increased by 500 percent, while prescriptions for amphetamine for the same purpose have increased 400 percent. Now we see a situation in which from seven to ten percent of the nation’s boys are on these drugs at some point as well as a rising percentage of girls.
    - Source
    Today, children who show too much energy, character or strength are being willfully sedated with powerful drugs which directly affect the way their brains function. Are we going in the right direction here?
    Even if ADD is not a clearly defined and documented disorder – it causes NO observable biological effects whatsoever – children are still being diagnosed with the illness in great numbers. This raises important ethical questions.
    Pediatricians as well as ethicists have also voiced their concerns in usage of these stimulants. In an article published in the New York Times, they have questioned the appropriateness of medicating children without a clear diagnosis in hopes that they do better in school. They also asked whether the drugs should be given to adults failing in their careers or are procrastinators. They question the worthy of this method.


    This concern have also been voiced out in the January 2005 issue of Pediatrics in which the large discrepancies between pediatricians’ practice patterns and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines for the assessment and treatment of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was bought forth. The article also stated that because the medical community didn’t come to a consensus on how to diagnose ADD/ADHD, they should not be making extensive decisions as to how to treat individuals who have been diagnosed with the disorder.
    The usage of Ritalin at a young age breaks the psychological threshold people maintain towards the usage of prescription pills, which makes those children more likely to consume psychotropic drugs later in their lives. We should not be surprised to witness a dramatic increase of consumption of antidepressants in the years to come. The trend is already beginning:
    In its study, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looked at 2.4 billion drugs prescribed in visits to doctors and hospitals in 2005. Of those, 118 million were for antidepressants.

    The use of antidepressants and other psychotropic drugs — those that affect brain chemistry — has skyrocketed over the last decade. Adult use of antidepressants almost tripled between the periods 1988-1994 and 1999-2000. Between 1995 and 2002, the most recent year for which statistics are available, the use of these drugs rose 48 percent, the CDC reported.
    - Elizabeth Cohen, CNN
    The use of prescription pills might be of a great help for specific and properly diagnosed cases. The pharmaceutical industry however, which has many “friends” in the highest levels of government, is pushing for the widespread use of psychiatric drugs within the public. Since 2002, a great number of pills claiming to fix all kinds of mental conditions have been marketed to the public, but many of those pills were approved for sale without proper research for side effects. Even worse: the side effects might have been known but hidden to the public.

    Below is a list of warnings issued on commonly sold psychiatric drugs. Some of those side effects are actually frightening as a pill should not be able to have that much power over the human brain. Think about it: Some drugs are subject to warnings because they can cause you to … commit suicide?

    drug_warnings_graph_2006-e1277574439399.jpg


    2004

    March 22: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned that Prozac-like antidepressants (called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRIs) could cause “anxiety, agitation, panic attacks, insomnia, irritability, hostility, impulsivity, akathisia [severe restlessness], hypomania [abnormal excitement] and mania [psychosis characterized by exalted feelings, delusions of grandeur].”


    June: The Therapeutic Goods Administration, the Australian equivalent of the FDA, reported that the latest antipsychotic drugs could increase the risk of diabetes.
    June: The FDA ordered that the packaging for the stimulant Adderall include a warning about sudden cardiovascular deaths, especially in children with underlying heart disease.


    October 15: The FDA ordered its strongest “black box” label for antidepressants warning they could cause suicidal thoughts and actions in under those under 18 years old.


    October 21: The New Zealand Medicines Adverse Reactions Committee recommended that older and newer antidepressants not be administered to patients less than 18 years of age because of the risk of suicide.


    December 17: The FDA required packaging for the “ADHD” drug, Strattera, to advise that “Severe liver damage may progress to liver failure resulting in death or the need for a liver transplant in a small percentage of patients.”

    2005

    February 9: Health Canada, the Canadian counterpart of the FDA, suspended marketing of Adderall XR (Extended Release, given once a day) due to reports of 20 sudden unexplained deaths (14 in children) and 12 strokes (2 in children).


    April 11: The FDA warned that antipsychotic drug use in elderly patients could increase the risk of death.


    June 28: The FDA announced its intention to make labeling changes to Concerta and other Ritalin products to include the side effects: “visual hallucinations, suicidal ideation [ideas], psychotic behavior, as well as aggression or violent behavior.”


    June 30: The FDA warned that the antidepressant Cymbalta could increase suicidal thinking or behavior in pediatric patients taking it. It also warned about the potential increased risk of suicidal behavior in adults taking antidepressants.


    August: The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration found a relationship between antidepressants and suicidality, akathisia (severe restlessness), agitation, nervousness and anxiety in adults. Similar symptoms could occur during withdrawal from the drugs, it determined.


    August 19: The European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products warned against child antidepressant use, stating that the drugs caused suicide attempts and thoughts, aggression, hostility, aggression, oppositional behavior and anger.


    September 26: The Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco (Italian Drug Agency, equivalent to the FDA) warned against use of older (tricyclic) antidepressants in people under 18 years old. It also determined the drugs were associated with heart attacks in people of any age.


    September 29: The FDA ordered that labeling for the “ADHD” drug Strattera include a boxed warning about the increased risk of suicidal thinking in children and adolescents taking it.


    October 17: The FDA warned that the antidepressant Cymbalta could cause liver damage.


    October 24: The FDA withdrew the stimulant Cylert from the market because of the risk of liver toxicity and failure.
    November: The FDA warned that the antidepressant Effexor could cause homicidal thoughts.

    2006
    February 9: The FDA’s Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee urged that the strongest “black box” warning be issued for stimulants, because they may cause heart attacks, strokes and sudden death.


    February 20: British authorities warned that Strattera was associated with seizures and potentially lengthening period of the time between heartbeats.


    March 22: An FDA advisory panel heard evidence of almost 1,000 reports of kids experiencing psychosis or mania while taking stimulants.


    May 3: FDA adverse drug reaction reports linked antipsychotic drugs to 45 child deaths and 1,300 serious adverse reactions, such as convulsions and low white blood cell count.


    May 12: The manufacturer of Paxil warned that the antidepressant increases the risk of suicide in adults.


    May 26: Health Canada issued new warnings of rare heart risks for all drugs prescribed for “ADHD,” including the risk of sudden death.


    June 2: An FDA study determined that the antipsychotic drug, Risperdal, might cause pituitary tumors. The pituitary gland, at the base of the brain, secretes hormones that promote growth, and regulates body functions. Antipsychotics may increase prolactin, a hormone in the pituitary gland, and this increase has been linked to cancer. Risperdal was found to increase prolactin levels more frequently than in other antipsychotics.


    July 19: The FDA said antidepressant packaging should carry warnings that they may cause a fatal lung condition in newborns whose mothers took SSRI antidepressants during pregnancy. Migraine sufferers also need to be warned that combining migraine drugs with SSRIs could result in a life-threatening condition called serotonin syndrome.
    Food Poisoning
    1412_1_3801-e1277495457423.jpg


    The modern man ingests in his lifetime an incredible amount of chemicals, artificial flavors and additives. Although there is growing awareness regarding healthy eating, there is also a lot of misinformation and disinformation.
    At the present time, a single company – Monsanto – produces roughly 95% of all soybeans and 80% of all corn in the US. Considering this, the corn flakes you had for breakfast, soda you drank at lunch and beefstew you ate for dinner likely were produced from crops grown with Monsanto’s patented genes. There are numerous documents and films exposing Monsanto’s strong-arming of the agricultural industry, so I won’t expand on that issue. It is however important to note that a virtual monopoly currently exists in the food industry and there’s a unhealthy link between Monsanto and the American government: Many people who have passed laws in the fields of food, drugs and agriculture were also, at some point on the payroll of Monsanto. In other words, the elite decides which foods are sold to you.
    Public officials formerly employed by Monsanto:
    • Justice Clarence Thomas worked as an attorney for Monsanto in the 1970s. Thomas wrote the majority opinion in the 2001 Supreme Court decision J. E. M. Ag Supply, Inc. v. Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.|J. E. M. AG SUPPLY, INC. V. PIONEER HI-BREDINTERNATIONAL, INC. which found that “newly developed plant breeds are patentable under the general utility patent laws of the United States.” This case benefited all companies which profit from genetically modified crops, of which Monsanto is one of the largest.
    • Michael R. Taylor was an assistant to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner before he left to work for a law firm on gaining FDA approval of Monsanto’s artificial growth hormone in the 1980s. Taylor then became deputy commissioner of the FDA from 1991 to 1994. Taylor was later re-appointed to the FDA in August 2009 by President Barack Obama.
    • Dr. Michael A. Friedman was a deputy commissioner of the FDA before he was hired as a senior vice president of Monsanto.
    • Linda J. Fisher was an assistant administrator at the United States Environmental Protection Agency‎ (EPA) before she was a vice president at Monsanto from 1995 – 2000. In 2001, Fisher became the deputy administrator of the EPA.
    • Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was chairman and chief executive officer of G. D. Searle & Co., which Monsanto purchased in 1985. Rumsfeld personally made at least $12 million USD from the transaction.
    Many laws (approved by ex-Monsanto employees) have facilitated the introduction and the consumption of genetically engineered foods by the public.
    According to current statistics, 45% of corn and 85% of soybeans in the United States is genetically engineered (GE). Estimates of 70-75% of processed foods found at our local supermarkets are believed to contain GE ingredients.
    Other GE foods are canola, papayas, radicchio, potatoes, rice, squash or zucchini, cantaloupe, sugar beets, flax, tomatoes, and oilseed rape. One non-food crop that is commonly GE is cotton. The GE hormone recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or Prosilac) was one of the first GE products allowed to enter the nation’s food supply. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Monsanto’s rBGH in 1993.
    Anna M. Salanti, Genetically Engineered Foods
    Although it is yet impossible to determine the long-term effects of genetically engineered foods on the human body, some facts have already been established. GE foods contain less nutrients and, most importantly, they are “chemical-friendly”.
    One of the features of GE foods is their ability to withstand unlimited application of chemicals, including pesticides. Bromoxynil and glyphosate have been associated with developmental disorders in fetuses, tumors, carcinomas, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Studies indicate that Monsanto’s recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) causes treated cows to produce milk with an increased second hormone, IGF-1. This hormone is associated with human cancers. Recommendations by the Congressional watchdog agency, Government Accounting Office (GAO), recommended that rBGH not be approved. The European Union, Canada, and others have banned it. The UN has also refused to certify that using rBGH is safe.
    – Ibid
    Genetic modifications engineered by Monsanto makes their products bigger and more aesthetically pleasing. Another, less discussed “improvement” is the plants’ ability to withstand nearly unlimited amounts of Roundup brand pesticides. This encourages farmers to use that brand of pesticides which is produced by … Monsanto.

    9.13roundup.jpg


    Studies on Roundup link the powerful pesticide and herbicide to many health problems such as:
    • Increased risks of the cancer non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
    • Miscarriages
    • Attention Deficit Disorder (the real one)
    Fluoride
    fluoride_poisen_glass1-e1277496074355.jpg


    Another source of harmful chemicals is found in the modern man’s water supplies and soft drinks. As of 2002, the CDC statistics show that almost 60% of the U.S. population receives fluoridated water through the taps in their homes. The official reason for the presence of fluoride in our tap water? It prevents tooth decay. Ok … really? Is this mildly important benefit worth the consuming of great amounts of this substance by the population? Some studies even denied the dental benefits of fluorided water.
    Scientists now believe that the main protective action from fluoride does not come from ingesting the chemical, with the teeth absorbing it from inside the body, but from direct absorption through topical application to teeth. This means swallowing water is a far less effective way to fight cavities than brushing with fluoridated toothpaste.
    - Source
    So why is fluoride still found in tap water? Here are some quick facts about fluoridation chemicals:
    • they were once used as pesticides
    • they are registered as “poisonous” under the 1972 Poisons Act, in the same group of toxins as arsenic, mercury and paraquat
    • fluoride is scientifically classed as more toxic than lead, but there is about 20 times more fluoride than lead in tap water
    toxicitychart-sm.gif


    Many studies have been conducted on the effects of fluoride on the human body and some notable adverse effects have been noted: it changes bone structure and strength, impairs the immune system and it was linked to some cancers. Another alarming consequence of fluoridation is its effects on brain functions:
    In 1995, neurotoxicologist and former Director of toxicology at Forsyth Dental Center in Boston, Dr. Phyllis Mullenix published research showing that fluoride built up in the brains of animals when exposed to moderate levels. Damage to the brain occured and the behavior patterns of the animals was adversely effected. Offspring of pregnant animals receiving relatively low doses of fluoride showed permanent effects to the brain which were seen as hyperactivity (ADD-like symptoms). Young animals and adult animals given fluoride experienced the opposite effect — hypoactivity or sluggishness. The toxic effects of fluoride on the central nervous system was subsequently confirmed by previously-classified government research. Two new epidemiological studies which tend to confirm fluoride’s neurotoxic effects on the brain have shown that children exposed to higher levels of fluoride had lower IQs.
    - Source
    A lesser known, but extremely important side effect of fluoride is the calcification of the pineal gland.

    pineal.gif
    Up until the 1990s, no research had ever been conducted to determine the impact of fluoride on the pineal gland – a small gland located between the two hemispheres of the brain that regulates the production of the hormone melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that helps regulate the onset of puberty and helps protect the body from cell damage caused by free radicals.
    It is now known – thanks to the meticulous research of Dr. Jennifer Luke from the University of Surrey in England – that the pineal gland is the primary target of fluoride accumulation within the body.
    The soft tissue of the adult pineal gland contains more fluoride than any other soft tissue in the body – a level of fluoride (~300 ppm) capable of inhibiting enzymes.
    The pineal gland also contains hard tissue (hyroxyapatite crystals), and this hard tissue accumulates more fluoride (up to 21,000 ppm) than any other hard tissue in the body (e.g. teeth and bone).
    - Source
    Other than regulating vital hormones, the pineal gland is known to serve an esoteric function. It is known by mystic groups as the “third eye” and has been considered by many cultures to be part of the brain responsible for spiritual enlightenment and the “link to the divine”. Is enlightenment out of bounds for the modern man?
    In the human brain there is a tiny gland called the pineal body, which is the sacred eye of the ancients, and corresponds to the third eye of the Cyclops. Little is known concerning the function of the pineal body, which Descartes suggested (more wisely than he knew) might be the abode of the spirit of man.
    – Manly P. Hall, The Secret Teachings of All Ages
    Aspartame
    sugar-free1-e1277600130448.png


    Aspartame is an artificial sweetner used in “sugar-free” products such as diet sodas and chewing gum. Since its discovery in 1965, Aspartame caused great controversy regarding its health risks – primarily causing brain tumors – and was denied its application to be sold to the public by the FDA. Searle, the company attempting to market Aspartame then appointed Donald Rumsfeld as CEO in 1977 … and things changed drastically. In a short period of time, Aspartame could be found in over 5,000 products.
    Donald Rumsfeld was on President Reagan’s transition team and the day after he took office he appointed an FDA Commissioner who would approve aspartame. The FDA set up a Board of Inquiry of the best scientists they had to offer who said aspartame is not safe and causes brain tumors, and the petition for approval is hereby revoked. The new FDA Commissioner, Arthur Hull Hayes, over-ruled that Board of Inquiry and then went to work for the PR Agency of the manufacturer, Burson-Marstellar, rumored at $1000.00 a day, and has refused to talk to the press ever since.
    - Source
    Years after its approval by the FDA, leading scientists still urge the organization to ban this product.
    Dr. John Olney, who founded the field of neuoscience called excitotoxicity, attempted to stop the approval of aspartame with Attorney James Turner back in 1996. The FDA’s own toxicologist, Dr. Adrian Gross told Congress that without a shadow of a doubt, aspartame can cause brain tumors and brain cancer and violated the Delaney Amendment which forbids putting anything in food that is known to cause Cancer. Detailed information on this can be found in the Bressler Report (FDA report on Searle).
    - Ibid
    In 1995, the FDA was forced to release, under the Freedom of Information act, a list of ninety-two symptoms caused by aspartame reported by thousands of victims:

    92-aspartame-symptoms-FDA1.gif


    Those symptoms are however only the tip of the iceberg. Aspartame has been linked to severe illnesses and long term health issues.
    According to the top doctors and researchers on this issue, aspartame causes headache, memory loss, seizures, vision loss, coma and cancer. It worsens or mimics the symptoms of such diseases and conditions as fibromyalgia, MS, lupus, ADD, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, chronic fatigue and depression. Further dangers highlighted is that aspartame liberates free methyl alcohol. The resulting chronic methanol poisoning affects the dopamine system of the brain causing addiction. Methanol, or wood alcohol, constitutes one third of the aspartame molecule and is classified as a severe metabolic poison and narcotic.
    - Ibid
    In Conclusion

    If the main message of this website has been to this point “watch what enters your mind”, the main message of this article is “watch what enters your body.” The consumption of the products stated above will probably not cause an immediate and noticeable effect. But, after many years of ingesting those substances, one’s thoughts become increasingly clouded and foggy, the ability to concentrate becomes hindered and judgment becomes impaired. In other words, the once sharp mind becomes dull. What happens when a population is heavily sedated and poisoned on a daily basis? It becomes numb, zombie-like and docile. Instead of asking important questions and seeking a higher truth, the dumbed-down mass simply accomplishes its daily tasks and absorbs whatever the media tells them. Is this what the elite is looking to create?

    There is, however, a silver lining here. Many of the negative effects of the substances described above are reversible. And YOU are the one who decides what enters your body. This article provides a brief overview of dangers lurking for the unaware consumer, but tons of information is available on which to base enlightened decisions. Your body is a temple. Will you allow it to be desecrated?


    http://vigilantcitizen.com/?p=4051


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,976 ✭✭✭profitius


    Priori wrote: »
    A case in point: I have spoken to university lecturers who are concerned that the number of incoming students who possess the ability to think critically and independently (in a competent manner) is diminishing significantly, perhaps due to the fact that the leaving cert points race hardly encourages the flourishing of true intelligence. Without 'sparknotes', many (even in university) would be lost.

    Thats what they mean by dumbing down. Its really about stopping people from using their imaginations. The masters don't mind a guy being brilliant at maths etc. Its the people who question things that they really don't like. So they get people interested in shopping, celebs, soaps and sports etc to keep their mind occupied.

    What is school. Its basically sitting down for hours every day cramming loads of useless information.

    They don't teach you about the real world. I bet no students are thought about the history of the banking system. Instead their supposed to remember hundreds of dates FFS!

    The way things are thought is also totally wrong and goes against human nature.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 728 ✭✭✭joebucks


    What happens when a population is heavily sedated and poisoned on a daily basis? It becomes numb, zombie-like and docile. Instead of asking important questions and seeking a higher truth, the dumbed-down mass simply accomplishes its daily tasks and absorbs whatever the media tells them. Is this what the elite is looking to create?

    "A really efficient totalitarian state would be one in which the all-powerful executive of political bosses and their army of managers control a population of slaves who do not have to be coerced, because they love their servitude. To make them love it is the task assigned, in present-day totalitarian states, to ministries of propaganda, newspaper editors and schoolteachers.... The greatest triumphs of propaganda have been accomplished, not by doing something, but by refraining from doing. Great is truth, but still greater, from a practical point of view, is silence about truth."

    Aldous Huxley, Brave New World


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,988 ✭✭✭enno99




    This Lady is worth looking up


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,128 ✭✭✭✭Oranage2


    Wow that video really makes you think.

    like 30 years ago preists thought about God and everyone believed
    now they teach us about science and nobody believes in God. Just proves that we're being educated in what 'they' want us to believe, while we think we getting smarter we really are just being taught something else.

    We also hate things for no reason such as scientoligy, our water and tooth paste is being poisoned.

    I wonder how long it will be before 2 + 2 = 5


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,128 ✭✭✭✭Oranage2


    Sparticle wrote: »
    Please explain to me how I'm dumbed down by learning organic chemistry and the poetry of Robert Frost?




    I never said new aged media?? Do you mean new types of media or the ct "new age" media?
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15060216
    http://www.naho.ca/firstnations/documents/Children_Technology_Factsheet-12-11-09.pdf

    (Bare in mind I am making the jump from television to internet in relation to these links)

    Anecdotally I see more and more children being unable to say the alphabet by age six. But the older generation always comments on the social decay of the next so I'd take that with a pinch of salt.

    To behonest the post was a joke.

    but on a serious note, take blacks during slavery, they were educated how to farm and if they couldn't farm they'd have been useless.
    So today we're taught how to read, write and calculate, which is what education we need to be good slaves or else we'll be useless.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,122 ✭✭✭TalkieWalkie


    enno99 wrote: »


    This Lady is worth looking up

    Thanks for that one. MY next book for sure. :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,122 ✭✭✭TalkieWalkie


    Oranage2 wrote: »
    To behonest the post was a joke.

    but on a serious note, take blacks during slavery, they were educated how to farm and if they couldn't farm they'd have been useless.
    So today we're taught how to read, write and calculate, which is what education we need to be good slaves or else we'll be useless.

    I found that one funny too, didn't wanna be the first to say it.

    It was a classic example. :D


    (the reply, i mean)

    I guess I was the first to say it :D


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 421 ✭✭Priori


    What happens when a population is heavily sedated and poisoned on a daily basis? It becomes numb, zombie-like and docile. Instead of asking important questions and seeking a higher truth, the dumbed-down mass simply accomplishes its daily tasks and absorbs whatever the media tells them. Is this what the elite is looking to create?

    There is, however, a silver lining here. Many of the negative effects of the substances described above are reversible. And YOU are the one who decides what enters your body. This article provides a brief overview of dangers lurking for the unaware consumer, but tons of information is available on which to base enlightened decisions. Your body is a temple. Will you allow it to be desecrated?

    Thanks a million for all that TalkieWalkie. It really gets my back up, to put it mildly, thinking that this sort of thing is being done on a daily basis, notwithstanding the vast amount of research pointing out the harm inflicted on our bodies and minds.

    Does anyone know if there is a pressure group/campaign to free our water supply from flouride in Cork?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,122 ✭✭✭TalkieWalkie


    Priori wrote: »
    Thanks a million for all that TalkieWalkie. It really gets my back up, to put it mildly, thinking that this sort of thing is being done on a daily basis, notwithstanding the vast amount of research pointing out the harm inflicted on our bodies and minds.

    Does anyone know if there is a pressure group/campaign to free our water supply from flouride in Cork?

    You are very welcome. I'm not sure if there are pressure groups for individual counties. Here is one site I found that contains information and news regarding fluoridation in Ireland, also has an online petition.

    http://homepage.eircom.net/~fluoridefree/home.htm

    Here is another where you can "take action"
    http://www.fluoridealert.org/

    And another..
    http://www.fluoridefreewater.ie/


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,405 ✭✭✭gizmo


    Oranage2 wrote: »
    The new world order want us to believe in climate change so they can tax carbon which is rediculous that someone can own carbon, which makes me wonder what will they tax next? possibly oxygen?
    But for this would true then over half of the worlds scientists would have to be in on it which goes against the idea that the small ruling elite are controlling things.

    Both these scientists and the ones who counter the claim were also educated in the same system as the rest of us so how does that fit in with the assertion that education is useless?
    Yes, there is an agenda to dumb folk down, without question.
    There is lots to question unfortunately and taking one side is no more dangerous than taking the other side. At least nullzero made a point of saying he wasn't going to be making any facts on the issue.
    People are more interested in Wayne Rooney banging a prostitute, or Ricky Fatton snorting a few lines than a US drone killing innocent civilians in Pakistan or the Roma's being forced to leave France by that midget Sarkozy. IMO this can only be possible through mass hypnosis and distraction.
    People have always been idiots like this. Look at Ancient Rome for instance, the Emperors knew that by holding events in the Colosseum they could distract the populous from more serious issues at hand and the mob obliged. Yet at the same time there were many who called for greater powers for the Senate and educated themselves because they knew knowledge is what was most important.

    Compare that to nowadays and look at what has changed. There is plenty of material out there which will accomplish what the old Colosseum events did yet there are far more avenues to education and increased knowledge than ever before. If the people reading those magazines with Wayne Rooney actually put it down they could read a book or go online and instantly have access to a wealth of information. The point is, they have to want to. Of course the fact that they are able to do is contrary to the point that we are actively being dumbed down. :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,831 ✭✭✭Torakx


    And i guess that is partly my point also.People go through school not to see the world as it is but rather to integrate into the system and keep it going.They miss out on alot of important information focusing on left brain dominance to put the "usefull" stuff in and have them take in and regurgitate that info as best possible.
    Maybe its a case of people growing up through the older generations and just keeping the status quo because its habitual and easier.
    But it sure as hell grinds my gears :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,122 ✭✭✭TalkieWalkie




  • Closed Accounts Posts: 421 ✭✭Priori


    gizmo wrote: »
    There is lots to question unfortunately and taking one side is no more dangerous than taking the other side.... Look at Ancient Rome for instance, the Emperors knew that by holding events in the Colosseum they could distract the populous from more serious issues at hand and the mob obliged. Yet at the same time there were many who called for greater powers for the Senate and educated themselves because they knew knowledge is what was most important.

    Also, forums such as this one will ensure that browsers and contributors alike will surely combat any efforts to 'dumb us down'. :)

    If we keep up the rational, informed debate, and encourage it elsewhere in our lives, I really don't believe (regardless of what measures are out there) that a true 'dumbing down' is possible. Nature, evolution, or the 'Powers that be' are surely against such efforts!

    (I'm feeling optimistic this morning as you can tell) :D

    The dangers are there, without a doubt, but I really think we can overcome them.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,122 ✭✭✭TalkieWalkie


    Good Morning, yes we can overcome them. :D


    Unfortunately for them, they cant overcome themselves :P


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,202 ✭✭✭Jeboa Safari


    I don't think there's an agenda to dumb people down, but I do think we're getting very reliant on technology, which will lead people to becoming lazier both mentally and physically.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,205 ✭✭✭espinolman


    They have always tried to keep common people dumbed down and uneducated .
    When the english were here , they did'nt want us Irish to get educated , so there had to be hedge schools .

    Today it is not much different , they teach lies in public schools , when you go to school , you are taught lies , some people are lucky , they find out about it , when they get older , most people never find out .


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,405 ✭✭✭gizmo


    espinolman wrote: »
    They have always tried to keep common people dumbed down and uneducated .
    When the english were here , they did'nt want us Irish to get educated , so there had to be hedge schools .

    Today it is not much different , they teach lies in public schools , when you go to school , you are taught lies , some people are lucky , they find out about it , when they get older , most people never find out .
    Such as?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,205 ✭✭✭espinolman


    gizmo wrote: »
    Such as?

    History , laws of physics , economics ,science .
    Language - meanings of words , they change meanings of words all the time .
    Education itself - you don't get educated through memorization , thats not education , it is brainwashing .


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,405 ✭✭✭gizmo


    espinolman wrote: »
    History , laws of physics , economics ,science .
    Language - meanings of words , they change meanings of words all the time .
    Education itself - you don't get educated through memorization , thats not education , it is brainwashing .
    Care to give some examples of these?

    As for words changing meaning, this has happened to plenty of words over the years but it has never been malicious and most, if not all words, can have their histories examined to see their original meaning. That's hardly being lied to.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 343 ✭✭Sparticle


    espinolman wrote: »
    laws of physics ,

    Hard to fake the refractive index of a block of glass and ohms law. How long has it been since you've been in a physics class?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,205 ✭✭✭espinolman


    Sparticle wrote: »
    Hard to fake the refractive index of a block of glass and ohms law. How long has it been since you've been in a physics class?

    Those laws are BS , when you exceed certain energy levels them laws go out the window , they are not absolutely true .

    As to physics class , i would not go , i would just write my own physics books .


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 23,556 ✭✭✭✭Sir Digby Chicken Caesar


    how in the hell would you write your own physics books?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,473 ✭✭✭robtri


    espinolman wrote: »
    Those laws are BS , when you exceed certain energy levels them laws go out the window , they are not absolutely true .

    As to physics class , i would not go , i would just write my own physics books .

    curious about this one.. how would you write your own.. and care to give examples of how it would differ from current physics books???


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,205 ✭✭✭espinolman


    how in the hell would you write your own physics books?

    I'm tellin ye , i could , i would just look around at how everything works and then write it down , but agree with what someone in a nice suit and tie thinks how things work , no , i am not that stupid .


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,473 ✭✭✭robtri


    espinolman wrote: »
    I'm tellin ye , i could , i would just look around at how everything works and then write it down , but agree with what someone in a nice suit and tie thinks how things work , no , i am not that stupid .

    any how do you look at sub atomic particles for example????


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,205 ✭✭✭espinolman


    robtri wrote: »
    any how do you look at sub atomic particles for example????

    Yeah , i'd have a look at those sub atomic particles of which magnetic fields are composed , indirectly by examing the fields surrounding magnets .
    Of course the common people are'nt supposed to know about that , no you are supposed to be a dumbed down idiot .


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 343 ✭✭Sparticle


    espinolman wrote: »
    Yeah , i'd have a look at those sub atomic particles of which magnetic fields are composed , indirectly by examing the fields surrounding magnets .
    Of course the common people are'nt supposed to know about that , no you are supposed to be a dumbed down idiot .

    Hence we do experiments based on the principles you believe are false?????


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,886 ✭✭✭Darlughda


    Is it not possible that the common denominator of people is dumbness?
    I would suspect that media conglomerates and vested interests maximize the appeal of the dumb, (oh xfactor and its ilk just spring to mind.)

    But even the idea of someone being intelligent, even moderately so, is considered 'above average'.

    Maybe the horrible truth is that most people are dumb and that dumbness is exploited??
    We are dumbed down into becoming consumers of overly priced goods which most of are unnecessary, and to afford these items we need to work 40+hrs a week in a place that makes/designs/sells goods that we end up buying back, while a very tiny minority boost their egos with the amount of wealth collected, which sits somewhere doing nothing while people in the realword die because they dont have enough money to make the wealthy even more rich

    without a job people become down because they have less money to feed the addiction they could afford before and sometimes they look at the world for how it is. having a job distracts them from this reality and makes them forget and then gain a false sense of happiness/contentment

    Sorry, but anybody with a bean of intelligence in their heads knows this. Plenty of mainstream education for decades has taught and analysed this, as well.

    Its not a new realisation, it's just a lot of dumb people are happy with this kind of existence.


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