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URL: http://www.collegian.com/index.php/article/2010/03/dont_be_so_easily_brainwashed
Current Date: Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:16:08 -0700
Don't be so easily brainwashed
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We live in a nation of so-called “independent” thinkers, yet it seems like there are few who actually do so. As a society, we tend to believe whatever someone says to us, even if there seems to be no factual basis for it.
We can watch a documentary, and suddenly we believe everything that we see. We can read a “news” article and think that every word is fact.
But this brainwashing seems to mostly relate to mainstream media. Movies, newspapers and magazines can get people to think some crazy things, and most people do not take the time to look up the facts.
Journalists have a responsibility to accurately report the news. But what some people see as accurate isn’t always.
As a society we tend to generalize things, and the media does the same thing. If we walk down the street and see one cop beat a citizen, we develop a negative attitude toward cops. What happened wasn’t right, but from that, we can’t assume that every cop beats citizens.
For instance let’s review something I talked about in a previous column, “Food Inc.” This “documentary” film has made many people believe that the practices shown are industry standard, when in fact they are not. Thankfully the movie did not win an Oscar, although the fact that it was even nominated is sad.
The status from one of my friend’s Facebook profile read, “I am appalled, angered and thoroughly disgusted by the corporations that have implemented a system within our society that is so incredibly damaging and dangerous to the health of the planet as a whole.”
This certain individual failed to do enough research and missed the fact that many farmers and ranchers take care of their land and animals better than people take care of their homes and children. Or that in order for people to survive, we will have to produce double the amount of food that we do today by the year 2050.
Another great example of this is with our current president, Barack Obama. Now, I’m not saying he was the main culprit in brainwashing people, but his campaign effectively did just that.
When people voted for him, they didn’t vote for him because they liked his platform. I’m betting at least 50 percent of those who voted for him didn’t even know what his platform contained. They saw the bandwagon and jumped on it.
It’s funny how things change though. Now people are jumping ship. The “Change We Could Believe In” has now turned into the “Change We Don’t Want, Stop Forcing It.”
How can you prevent yourself from becoming a victim of this brainwashing? There are several steps that you should take.
The first is to scrutinize everything that you see, hear and read that isn’t a first hand account. Now let’s not get ridiculous; if there is a study published in a peer reviewed medical journal, it is probably legitimate.
I’m talking about mainstream media and hearsay from those you know.
Next, I want you to think about the things you see, hear and read about and do a little research on the topic. I know this will take more time, but at least you will be informed and won’t sound like an ignorant prick when you try to talk to someone about something they know about.
When asked to document why we think a certain way, we say, “Well, I read it in” or “I saw it on” or “I heard it on … ” You rarely hear anyone say, “I believe this because of the research that I did on the topic.” You need to become this person.
Strive to educate yourself and quit being a sponge. You shouldn’t absorb everything that you hear.
Robyn Scherer is a senior animal science, agricultural business and journalism and technical communication major. Her column appears Fridays in the Collegian. Letters and feedback can be sent to letters@collegian.com.
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15 comments
Robyn,
Please take a page out of your own book and stop yourself from being a brainwashed reporter.
Let me focus in on Food Inc. You wrote: “This “documentary” film has made many people believe that the practices shown are industry standard, when in fact they are not.”
Let’s follow your advice and look at the facts: In the 1970’s, the 5 biggest slaughterhouses controlled 25% of the market. Today, the top 4 control over 80% of the beef packing industry. Ok. One fact. Well, here’s a second: In the 1970’s, the majority of beef being produced was produced by thousands of slaughterhouses. Today, the majority is controlled by 13 slaughterhouses.
While I can understand your discontent with the film that shed some negative light on your field of study, you too, my dear, need to look at the facts. Do most farmers feed their cows manure? Absolutely not. Do most farmers allow their cows to be slaughtered for consumption if they are disease-ridden and unhealthy? No no no. Do most farmers have a passion for their lifestyle? You best believe it.
Food Inc, however, did not condemn farmers. They condemned the big corporations that are corrupt and money hungry. Do farmers sometimes work for these corporations? Yes, but just like the bad abusive cop, one bad farmer doesn’t equal all bad farmers. It is obvious you did not watch the movie, or were too blinded by your preconceived notions to listen to the films message, because in the end, Food Inc. praises farmers who have a passion for what they do, and do it right.
If it adds any merit to the argument, the director of the movie is an investigative journalist, best selling author and is seen as an authority on industrial agriculture and the effects upon society.
Also, having read many of your previous columns, I seem to notice a recurring trend: your ability to ostracize your audience. Instead of facing off with your readers, why not pull them on your side? A great use of that would have been to profile well-known truth stretcher Sarah Palin. Democrats are just as guilty of that as well. Rallying your troops against an “ignorant prick” would have been much more motivational than sneering at your audience.
A journalist is a watch dog. You know that. However, journalists are watchdogs for the people, serving the public, working on their side to ensure that all is just and fair, not a judgmental individual who separates themselves from their constituency. Please consider siding with your subjects next time, and not fighting them, but working with them to convey a strong idea or topic.
And remember, taking criticism is a sign of a good journalist.
worst story ever.
uh…yeah. i HAVE done my research, and the practices in Food Inc ARE, in fact, industry standard. it’s true that there are many farmers who don’t practice this way, but they are in the vast minority.
when someone like this refers to “mainstream media” brainwashing, they are usually referring to every outlet BUT Fox News. unfortunately, Fox News tries to portray itself as an outsider, but it’s the one doing the most brainwashing.
“when someone like this refers to “mainstream media” brainwashing, they are usually referring to every outlet BUT Fox News. unfortunately, Fox News tries to portray itself as an outsider, but it’s the one doing the most brainwashing.”
That makes sense considering they beat out there competition combined…. spoken like someone who has never watched FOX for themselves, and instead gets all their information from Olbermann. Duder calling others “brainwashed”…. priceless!
I was unaware that a minority could be “vast”…. LMAO!
The backlash of the brainwashed. The proper name for movies like Food Inc., Fahrenheit 911, and Capitalism: A Love Story is propaganda. A documentary should be balanced, propaganda gives only information that supports the creators views.
Robyn, thank you for speaking out against the mindless auto-trons that are the favorite product of “higher education”.
Duder – FYI…PETA and HSUS websites do not count as legit research…if you really think that Food, Inc. showed you “industry standard” maybe you should tour a feedlot and/or a slaughterhouse and listen to the managers of these places talk. They only have the animals’ best interest in mind, and their main goal is to provide our country and our world with a safe product. Even on the kill floor, the animals are treated very humanely up until they are knocked unconscious and bled out.
If you really want to do some research, you need to get off your computer and away from the TV and actually experience the livestock industries for yourself. And that piece of advice goes out to EVERYONE that thinks that we, as an industry, mistreat the very animals that are the main source of income for mainy of the ranchers, feedlots, and slaughterhouses. If you haven’t figured it out already, if animals are mistreated, they usually weigh less and are more prone to disease b/c their immune systems are down, therefore they won’t make us as much money! Yes, I just said it is about having an income, b/c I don’t know one farmer or rancher who isn’t waiting for that paycheck after selling their livestock for slaughter.
Let me get this straight — this is an article about not making generalizations which leverages the following supporting sentence: “As a society we tend to generalize things…”
Was this article meant to be ironic?
All the agribusiness funding at CSU, and this is the best the Collegian can find to represent the industry?! I’m surprised the Monfort family hasn’t asked you to replace her yet. At least, for crying out loud, edit Ms Scherer’s pieces. Her first sentence is Bush II-quality.
What the heck? You mention Barrack Obama and Food Inc., but not one possible example of conservative “brainwashing”? What about Fox News? Oh yeah, I forgot. Fox News is Fair and Balanced. And as for Barrack, there was a rally at the CSU oval in which 50,000 people came to hear his platform in person. But I’m assuming you must have conveniently missed that one, Robyn. And why does the Collegian Opinion board keep choosing potentially objective topics shortly before deteriorating into some conservative rambling? If you’re a staunch conservative come out and say it. Don’t pretend you’re trying to handle all sides of the opinion if you’re not. Sure, to you only liberals brainwash. That’s because you’ve already been brainwashed by Fox News. You don’t have to pretend. Isn’t there anyone out there willing to write an article and who actually has some journalistic integrity and doesn’t try to pick up techniques from Glenn Beck? I mean, I think we deserve more than an attempt at screwing with people’s minds.
MoralMoney suggesting others are brainwashed….LMAO! almost as hilarious as duder calling people brainwashed…. Classic!
All I have to say to those of you who are criticizing Robyn’s work, maybe you should enroll in an animal science class here at CSU. Then you’ll know the REAL facts behind what is going on with production agriculture.
Oh, and remember how you’d feel if you were writing an opinion column. How would you like to be attacked by people with opposing OPINIONS. Seriously…. it’s just 1 person’s OPINION!
To “duder”- You HAVE done your research? I know exactly where you did your research, and it is obviously at sites that are bias towards HSUS and PETA. As an animal science student who has grown up raising pigs, it is quite the opposite. Movies like Food Inc. are attacking the animal agriculure industry with one sided views. In all actuality, your research is reversed….the VAST MAJORITY of famers DO treat their animals ETHICALLY. Farmers work hard to ensure that their animals are comfortable and safe. And because farming is a business, just like any other, it just makes good business sense to raise animals ethically, dont you think?? A happy animal will be a productive animal….You OBVIOUSLY NEED TO TAKE SOME ANIMAL SCIENCE COURSES TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.
Without production agriculture this world would be in turmoil…Who would feed the growing population? Do you think you can honestly feed an entire family off of one garden? The world needs production agriculure to survive, and groups like HSUS and PETA are not only hurting agriculure but inevitably the world.Why is it that the majority of comments here, and in other situations, show some level of intelligent thought while UCB comments are mostly PC?
To Robyn and, specifically, ‘BJB’,
Robyn mentions the growing pressure to feed more people, “we will have to produce double the amount of food that we do today by the year 2050.”
Have you actually taken the time to examine how much food it takes to raise livestock compared to the amount of food livestock provide in meat? Measured in calories, regardless of what the farmland is used for (negate the flawed argument that certain cropland is only suitable for growing cattle-grade feed), you feed a pig 8x more than what what it provides. Cattle 6x more. Chickens somewhere between 6x-7x.
If your goal is to feed people, why not convert farmland used to feed livestock into farmland used to feed humans? Cut out the middle man, so to speak, so that 100% of the calories go to people, not 13%.
Your argument would be so much stronger if you wrote consciously and bolstered your opinion with facts instead of assertions.
Believe me, the irony of “do a little research on the topic…you will be informed and won’t sound like an ignorant prick when you try to talk to someone about something they know about” was definitely not lost on your readers.
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Morgan
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