When my husband and I visited London along with my brothers and their wives we did all of the touristy things. We planned our trip down to the hour before leaving so that we would have reservations for museums and scenic areas. As we were deciding how to spend our time my sister-in-law suggested that we invest in a Jack the Ripper tour. Being a mystery buff since my childhood I was all in for traveling through the east end of London in search of the sites where the infamous serial killer stalked his victims. Given how difficult it was to secure tickets even months ahead of time it became clear that a great many people still possess a fascination with the macabre murderer.
The tour itself proved to be quite interesting even though most of the landmarks where the murders occurred are long gone. The guide was informative and the rainy darkness of the night lent a frightening mood to the story of women down on their luck who became victims of the Ripper’s cruel vendetta against them.
I have since learned more and more about that horrific time in Victorian England including the fact that the London press was somewhat complicit in turning the tragic violence into money making stories. The lurid descriptions of what happened along with wild theories about the killer ruined many lives as guilt was aimed at Jews and foreigners. All the while the humanity of the victims was virtually ignored. The newspapers could not print their stories fast enough for the public consumption and so a kind of cult like presentation of the murderer began to emerge, including the printing of a lurid letter that appeared to be authored by the killer. Thus we have the name Jack the Ripper reaching all the way into the modern day.
I bring this up because journalism can be honorable and honest or it can be filled with innuendo, untruths and propaganda with only the aim of selling the product. Headlines can be written in a variety of ways. The catchiest ones attract attention and even change the thinking of readers. Often they are more sensational than true.
We have to be careful about what we see and hear from supposedly reputable news outlets. History is replete with stories of so called journalists using the pulpit of their writing or interviews for pontificating vehicles for lies and deceit. We should always be watching for manipulation of our thinking by checking sources and getting our information from multiple places. If we allow ourselves to live in an echo chamber that only reinforces what we want to believe rather than what we need to know, we run the risk of falling for untruths. We would be wise to fact check rather than becoming manipulated puppets.
I make it a point to watch for signs of propaganda. I was taught how to do that in the seventh grade. There are definite techniques that are designed to confuse our thinking. If we are aware that such things occur we will check any information that appears to be false or out of the ordinary. Grand generalizations are usually an indicator of lies just like the Victorian assumption that the Ripper had to belong to a despised group like the poor, the immigrants, the Jews. Sadly it is often a trick of tyrants to use our fears to their benefit by blaming innocents for our troubles. The powerful sometimes become that way with lies and deceit that make us believe that they are the only sources of safety and security.
We have learned from factual evidence that many influencers supporting Donald Trump were on a payroll from Russia. They made money by spreading toxic ideas and insisting that only Trump was strong enough to save us from the perils of immigrants, particular groups, a deteriorating economy. Ironically these people ranted about the problems, took the money from Russia and then claimed that most if not all Democrats were Communists. In truth they themselves were little more than foreign agents paid to destroy our nation from within just as Nikita Khrushchev once predicted would happen. Those who have believed the bile from such people have been the pawns that Russia hoped they would be.
Watch for hyperbole and sweeping generalizations about people or incidents or problems. They are often the first clue that someone is attempting to sway us with falsehoods. We indeed need to address immigration in this country but we can do that logically and without demonizing every person who comes across our borders. Everyone knows that our economy and those of every country in the world is still adjusting from the Covid epidemic. Where we are now is complex and so too will our solutions need to be. Setting things right will take cooperation, not blaming.
The only way to progress is by electing individuals who are willing to discuss the issues in a spirit of empathy and respect for all of humanity. We also need news sources that will report the facts, not the hysteria or the wild theories that only sensationalize and garner money. Ask yourself if you are only hearing one side over and over. Ask if a source seems to be doing everything possible to make you afraid. Then start fact checking on your own. You may find a new way of looking at the world that frees you from the influence of Russians or oligarchs. It is a wonderful place to be.
All It Takes Is A Little Love 