When asked about what I liked about long distance backpacking I would often remark on the complex grandeur of nature yet the simplicity of challenges faced. This is in contrast to the complex nuances of social interactions and challenges that occur in our modern culture. When given the straight scoop, when provided with open and honest information, humans have proved themselves up to just about any challenge.
That is why science and technology have progressed at rapid rates since the Enlightenment. Ever since Francis Bacon science has been ruled by empiricism. That is also why economics and politics have not progressed much at all in terms of improvements to those systems. Unfortunately, modern culture has created webs of subterfuge (not to mention schools of thought) that require advanced scholars to navigate. Our inherent empirical abilities of simply learning from experience do not suffice for the challenges that modern culture presents.
We were granted the natural right to think empirically, to learn from experience. This enabled a species that started out in Africa to survive just as well in the Arctic. This enabled our species to combat deadly diseases and go to the moon. We no doubt could come up with much better models than the business corporation or political party, if we were allowed to approach these problems empirically.
Instead, we are governed by catchy little slogans such as “Buyers Beware.” The evidence suggests that buyers would make good decisions if faced with the simplicity of open and honest information. We naturally evolved to do just that. But we have not all evolved culturally to interpret the complex hype, hidden information and even distortions that are used to “sell” us in regards to both economics and politics. This paves the way for wealth and power disparities in systems that allegedly should reduce both.
A “Buyers Beware” culture is one that depreciates our natural right to free thought. Our natural thinking requires open and honest input that we experience. Eliminate the requirement for empirical information and our thinking becomes compromised. Free will may be the fundamental natural right that dictates how the others will be exercised, but free thought is the most important natural right in regards to our liberty. The Stockholm Syndrome of captives identifying with their kidnappers reveals how the free will to belong can lead us astray if not supported by free thought.
Until we become a culture that is ruled more by a “Sellers Beware” requirement for the free flow of important empirical information we will continue to be a culture designed to advantage elites at the expense of the middle class. We will continue to have good scholars providing disingenous dogmas that support the authoritarian structure. We will continue to have our natural right to free thought compromised by a Siren’s song of misinformation alluring us away from the balance that our own experiences would otherwise seek.
