Reality in the Digital Age

It’s comforting to view social and intellectual progress as a continuous, positive process, particularly with the rapid innovation of tools to improve access to information.  From this perspective, we applaud the Internet, and the ease with which one can now find answers to questions which previously would have required effort, special access, and perhaps training to research.

But easy access to knowledge is not a panacea for ignorance.  Along with a nearly endless variety of other media available—including a plethora of 24/7 news channels—the Internet is indeed a conduit for data and access to knowledge.  But it is also a misinformation superhighway.  People are deluged with competing assertions of reality; without a solid foundation of critical discernment skills that allow them to filter reality from myth, it is overwhelming.  In order to resolve the resulting dissonance, many simply default to the beliefs and prejudices they already hold. 

This tendency is well understood by those who wish to exploit it for their own purposes.  Their web and cable networks provide palatable, easy to digest solutions to complex problems; tying traditional values inextricably to the agenda they wish to promote – likewise casting those who oppose their agenda as opponents of these same comforting traditional values. 

Viewed from outside the beguiled bubble, these sleights of conflation and misdirection are obvious and amateurish.  But within the bubble, these have become so frequent that they are really no longer discreet events, but now comprise an entirely separate reality. 

Mark Twain famously said that, ‘A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.’  That was well over a hundred years ago.  As valuable as are our advances in information technology, their ability promulgate the dissemination of myths leaves those who attempt to correct, or even monitor them with a task that would make Sisyphus appreciate his lot.  

Christmas Truce

One hundred years ago, during the First World War, one of the most amazing events in the history of modern warfare occurred. 

For almost five months, British, French, and Belgian troops had been engaged against the Germans in the bloodiest, most destructive fighting ever to have occurred in Western Europe, each side slaughtering the other in wholesale numbers.  The fighting had devolved into a mutual siege, with both sides entrenched – sometimes only yards apart.  In the no-man’s land between the trenches the dead and wounded could not even be recovered for fear that the recovery teams would be killed.  There was seemingly no trace of humanity left. 

Yet, beginning on Christmas Eve, a brief peace came to the Western Front.  It began with Christmas carols sung in the trenches – clearly audible to those on the other side.  Then the small Christmas trees lit up, and set at the top of the trenches.  Finally the offers—and tentative acceptances—to meet in the middle.  There, among the artillery craters, in the field of death, these enemies experienced one another’s humanity – exchanging small gifts of chocolate and cigarettes; some even offering signed postcards.  Wounded soldiers were recovered; many of the dead were buried in peace. 

It didn’t last, of course.  Military commands on both sides were infuriated by this fraternization – and made sure it was not repeated in subsequent years of that tragic conflict. 

But for that one incredible moment … 

Reality-Based ... and Not

Trying to have a reality-based conversation with somebody who gets their ‘facts’ from Faux News, is like trying to get a 700 Club member to take real medicine, and stop sending money to their witch doctor.   

Prospectus

Fractional Legislator Ownership™

It’s long been recognized that one of the most profitable investments a plutocrat or industrialist can make is in the promising Congressional sector.  When you run the numbers the results are conclusive; with up to a ten-fold return in the first year, those who aren't investing in the legislative branch are missing out. 

But since the Citizens United ruling opened the government more fully to market forces, we've witnessed a significant uptick in the investment required to participate in this sector.  The level of investment that used to easily obtain the services of a senior Senator, now may not even be enough for a freshman Representative.  While this affects even established, more well-heeled players, it may present a serious barrier to entry for new investors.  Many of the best Senators and Representatives are already locked up, and the rapidly increasing costs of those who are available can adversely affect cash-flow. 

So how does a small to medium tier tycoon access the long-term benefits available in this sector, without the short-term hit to liquidity?

This is a problem that lends itself to a creative solution; one which I’d like to share with you.  Taking a cue from luxury aircraft industry players such as NetJets and Airshares Elite, I have founded FLO (LLC), where we architect and broker Fractional Legislator Ownership™ opportunities. 

Advantages of FLO

FLO enables our investors to enjoy many of the same benefits, and the same prestige of owning your own Senator, with a relatively more modest upfront investment.  Some investors—particularly those in highly controversial industries, or those needing specific language inserted into the tax code—may still need to fully own a Senator or House committee chair; perhaps even a Supreme Court justice.  But for all but the largest oligarchs, a strategically-designed FLO should be more than enough to meet any conceivable need. 

Profile Match

Our innovative investor-matching program employs an algorithm that matches your profile with that of other investors; identifying compatibilities and uncovering synergies, so that the combined investments of the fractional owners most effectively direct the activities of your Congressional Representative or Senator.  

Risk Reduction

Another advantage to Fractional Legislator Ownership™ is risk reduction.  As Simon Cameron once famously said, “an honest politician is one who, when he is bought, will stay bought”.  At FLO, we carefully screen our Representatives and Senators to assure that they are sensitive to the needs of our investors.  But we know that they’re human, and thus, imperfect.  If they fail to meet expectations—whether in committee work or in full session—our systems detect it, and take immediate action.  We will redirect your legislation to other key Senators or Representatives in our portfolio.  And we handle the discipline of the one who missed his or her cue – minimizing the likelihood of a recurrence.  In all cases, your investment is assured.  

Timely Opportunity

With the new Congress being seated soon—particularly the wholesale changes in leadership in the Senate—unprecedented opportunities are available to the proactive investor.  Have your people call to discuss these with one of our FLO Legislative Account Executives.  Better yet, drop by one of our offices in person. We'll open a chilled bottle of Dom Perignon, and thoroughly review our prospectus in person.  

We look forward to a mutually beneficial collaboration.  

Opera and Science

It’s fine to not be into opera.  Much of it is sung in foreign languages, using allusions and symbolism that only makes sense to people who have studied it, and are really interested in it.  I respect opera, but am not interested enough to invest the time and effort into learning it. 

It’s okay to not really be into science.  A thorough understanding of science is not easy.  Fully understanding even a narrow field of scientific knowledge requires years of directed effort and focused intellect.  Much of it is not intuitive, and sometimes runs counter to common sense.  And because frontiers of science push back against superstition and folk beliefs, many people ignore or reject science in favor of the comfort and safety of tradition. 

Few people who choose to ignore opera would then get into a heated argument with an expert on the implications of a plot element or the timing of an aria in Die Fledermaus or Otello.  But for some reason, people who have never studied science—or applied the scientific method of inquiry to anything—feel free to expound with some imagined expertise in opposition to the very fundamentals of modern science. 

People have a right to their opinions; but the right to hold them does not lend them merit. 

One who has never shown expertise or aptitude for opera would not be a good candidate for leadership of the Met.  And likewise, one who is willfully ignorant of science is not a good candidate for a role in translating scientific knowledge into governmental policy. 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/inhofe-an-epa-foe-likely-to-lead-senate-environment-committee/2014/11/05/d0b4221e-64f4-11e4-836c-83bc4f26eb67_story.html