{"id":14247,"date":"2024-01-10T07:21:42","date_gmt":"2024-01-10T12:21:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/intramuralist.com\/?p=14247"},"modified":"2024-01-10T07:33:37","modified_gmt":"2024-01-10T12:33:37","slug":"what-they-dont-want-us-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/intramuralist.com\/?p=14247","title":{"rendered":"what they don’t want us to know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There\u2019s an old French saying \u2014 \u201cprendre la ch\u00e8vre\u201d \u2014 meaning \u201cto take the goat.\u201d Tradition suggests that taking another\u2019s goat was one way people used to get milk. Unsurprisingly, such would oft anger the goat\u2019s owner. The ever-useful A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English<\/em> says such may be the origin for the contemporary idiom, \u201cthat gets my goat!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we take stock of the current political state, as an advocate of focusing on what is good and right and true and thus prioritizing respect for all<\/em> people \u2014 whether they think\/look\/act like us or not \u2014 there is one aspect of current day politicians that arguably most makes me want to learn a little more of the aforesaid French.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m pretty sure, in fact, this doesn\u2019t rest solely with me. Take note of most opinion polling; our collective dissatisfaction with politicians is abundantly overflowing. On the right. And on the left. I am being kind. Even with those we perceive to be ideologically likeminded, there aren\u2019t many who represent us that we\u2019re all that immensely thrilled about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today we\u2019re toying with the why. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let me be clear that I, for one, certainly don\u2019t speak for all people; that\u2019s one of the luring social pitfalls even the intelligent have been prone to fall into\u2026 like somehow a woman can speak for all women\u2026 a man can speak for all men\u2026 a straight person can speak for all straight people or a person of color can speak for all people of color. I mean absolutely no disrespect to any. I simply think it\u2019s illogical to think that a singular person has the ability to represent an entire people group. We\u2019re too beautifully diverse for that to qualify as sound reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that to say, what gets my goat is when the Biden\u2019s and Trump\u2019s of the country and all their surrogates (and of course, far more \u2014 they\u2019re just the current most prominent) work to divide us. They are intentional \u2014 meaning they\u2019re doing it on purpose<\/em> \u2014 in saying things to make us conclude that we have nothing in common with those who think differently; they want us to think if another thinks a little differently, that they think totally<\/em> differently; they want us to think we are the only ones who actually care. The Biden’s\/Trump’s\/etal. couldn\u2019t be more wrong. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Allow me to introduce you to the latest feature from AllSides,<\/em> a current events resource long utilized and encouraged by the Intramuralist. Regular readers will note that AllSides<\/em> is the outlet from which we receive our updates in regard to media bias. They are excellent. They are truthful. They are fair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mission of AllSides<\/em> is to \u201cfree people from filter bubbles so they can better understand the world \u2014 and each other.\u201d How do those inconspicuous filter bubbles occur? \u201cA filter bubble occurs when someone is only exposed to news that confirms his or her beliefs, or solely interacts with like-minded peers. The result? A society where people only see one side, leading to a highly polarized political environment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Friends, a society where people only see one side, leading to a highly polarized political environment, is not good nor right nor true. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yesterday, AllSides<\/em> announced the \u201cAllSides Bridgin<\/a>g Community.\u201d<\/a> This resource is a news and information hub that does the exact opposite of the goat takers. It instead highlights efforts to bridge<\/em> divides and actually find that common ground. Yes, common ground exists. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On their website, you can find the following articles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n