Frank's Musings

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy and Dr. Anthony Fauci have prominently decried the false information regarding vaccines for COVID-19.  Many progressive and other liberal politicians have angrily objected to the characterization of their propositions as elitism by their opponents on the right.

The defenders of the truth also have the duty to influence the public, not just to complain. The First Amendment protects us from exploitation only if the right to speak convincingly is exercised by defenders of the common welfare as effectively as it is by special interests or polemicists.

Yes, free speech sometimes is more effectively used by enemies of common sense than by other critical thinkers. This has always been a problem in social organizations. Benjamin Franklin published his thoughts on the matter; so have many other leaders before and since. However, gullibility to persistent and determined deceit is part of human nature. Advances in communications technology have, unfortunately, at times surpassed the capabilities or desires of common human intelligence to think clearly and critically about the misinformation that false prophets profess more effectively than they.  Objective truth may not be as compelling as factual distortions presented well.

While misinformation may be combatted on its merits, the same harmful messages must also be corrected by exposing the antisocial motivation of the deceivers.  It’s a tricky task, particularly in a liberal democracy where free speech is sanctified.