MUSINGS and other writing by Mark Kolke

. . . . . . there is no edge to openness

TODAY'S MUSINGS

FEEDBACK / COMMENTS

MARK SPEAKS

ARCHIVED COLUMNS

ARCHIVE WINTER 2022-23

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2022

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2022

ARCHIVE SPRING 2022

ARCHIVE WINTER 2021-22

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2021

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2021

ARCHIVE SPRING 2021

ARCHIVE WINTER 2020-21

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2020

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2020

ARCHIVE SPRING 2020

ARCHIVE WINTER 2019-20

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2019

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2019

ARCHIVE SPRING 2019

ARCHIVE WINTER 2018-19

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2018

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2018

ARCHIVE SPRING 2018

ARCHIVE WINTER 2017-18

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2017

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2017

ARCHIVE SPRING 2017

ARCHIVE WINTER 2016/17

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2016

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2016

ARCHIVE SPRING 2016

ARCHIVE WINTER 2015/16

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2015

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2015

ARCHIVE SPRING 2015

ARCHIVE WINTER 2014/15

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2014

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2014

ARCHIVE SPRING 2014

ARCHIVE WINTER 2013/14

CONTACT

MY REAL ESTATE LIFE

WHY I WRITE MUSINGS

SHORT STORY PROJECT

POETRY PROJECT

MARK'S SPEAKING TIPS

SELECTED OTHER WORK


ARE WE THERE YET?


Wednesday, Apr. 8, 2020
 
 
What do we see, and is it true?
 
What do we hear, and can we trust who said it?
 
 
As we drive on trips, kids in the backseat ask, “Are we there yet?”
 
We are on a collective journey – we are distanced, but we are all feeling more in common with our fellow earthlings than ever. We are going to reach a point where we feel physically/medically well, relatively safe, and past the point of greatest danger. Media, politicians, scientists dance around the truth – nobody really knows.
 
We want to be there.
 
We want to know.
 
The determining factors are a ‘new virus’ nobody fully understands, and the behavior of 7.5 billion people.
 
Media talking heads offer up explanations in real-time, their guest experts about what they know, spinning their interpretation of statistics. I’m watching them my own searching real-time data often reveals data they speak of has already been eclipsed.
 
There are three causes for that, in my view; people are talking about old data (though sometimes that might be as little as a few hours old), the Dem-spin v. Republican-spin must be factored out, there are crackpot conspiracy-theorists on both ends of this momentous situation.
 
In olden days we rallied our concerns behind the most credible voices. I miss Walter Cronkhite, I miss Knowlton Nash. The media slant – in print, on-air, on the internet – is like an eerie full moon overlaid by a full rainbow. The science guys/gals should be the best sources of non-political clarity, but who do know and trust?
 
Freedom of thought and freedom of expression is (or ought to be) everywhere. But it brings with it so much misinformation and disinformation, the average person has little capacity to separate truth from fiction.
 
Made worse, of course, when so much fact is woven into news-cycle spun tales, we realize little that is actually new. Instead, we are reminded that most messaging from all sources is a mix of truths, and how the sender wants us to see it. Motives of the sender might be altogether sinister, or utterly vile, but we don’t know.
 
 

Reader feedback:
FEAR, AS USUAL
Good day from deserted paradise, I hope that you will be safe and soon resuming a productive lifestyle. I personally welcome the IMPOSE change of pace and try to surf the times as better as possible, we will be back to the new "normal" soon enough enjoy the time as if you were on vacations, we all are in this together, never before have we being so equal, AG, Cancun, Mex.


Find this and other articles by Mark Kolke at Medium



sign up to get Musings free daily



 
Read more of my writing by Mark Kolke at Medium

sign up to get Musings free daily

 


 
Mark Kolke, Realtor, MaxWell South Star Realty


sign up to get Musings CLICK HERE

Comments are always welcome - please contribute to the discussion.  Reply to: kolke@markkolke.com

You can also connect with me on LinkedIn. This site is updated daily, each column is retained in the archive when the next day's column is loaded ...  


Copyright - all rights reserved - Mark Kolke, © 2003-2023 - MaxComm Communications

- this site is updated daily, new column on main page, older columns archived - use the tabs; last update - 2023 - January, 28