What lurks in the darkness?
Published: Tue, 12/17/13
So called conspiracy theories are a favorite topic of pub
conversations. Did the Americans actually get to the moon? Was
there just one gunman responsible for Kennedy's assassination
or more? I could obviously list many more. There are usually two
responses to such subjects, 'I know the truth, and you must be
an idiot or a crank for disagreeing with me.' or 'Don't
you know the government/media/authorities/'they' lie about
everything so here is what I think happened.' Great for a pub
discussion but often very polarising.
A problem with modern life is that we assume that we can see and
know everything. Even at night there need be no dark corners as
street lights illuminate everything. We expect the media, the
internet and education to provide the answers to everything. Even
if we don't know then we like to believe that some one else
does. Scientists have long liked to promote the idea that they are
just around the corner from explaining everything from the origins
of the universe to why women so much like buying shoes.
We are conditioned to believe that everything can be known and that
is why arguments can become so heated, even to the point that
friends can fall out with each other. But the truth is (sorry to
use that word, but I think it fits here) that there is a great deal
we do not know. It is also true that we there are many things we
may never know for certain. For most of human history people
accepted that there was a great deal that they simply did not know.
Prior to the 20th century any kind of lighting was relatively
expensive and very localised. Certainly prior to the 1850s when
gas lights were introduced to major cities and towns nights were
dark if there was no moon. If you went somewhere at night you were
reliant on your night sight and following a path that you knew.
What was in the shadows? How could you know? It could be robbers
or wild animals, or it could be nothing of any consequence. How
could you know what was going on in the capital city or even in the
next valley? Unless messenger was sent specially or you went to
find out for yourself then you were reliant on travelers tales.
Assuming you had any visitors that is. People simply accepted that
they couldn't know what was going on outside of their locale or
even what might be lurking in the darkness. The best you could do
was know your neighbours, know your way around your village and
hope that if anything did come after you you would be able to run
away or fight it off before too much harm was done.
We would do well to remember that our situation is really not so
different today. We may be overloaded with 'information'
from all kinds of sources. But how much of it is 'true'?
and how much is 'propaganda' in the sense that it is what
someone wants you to believe? and how much is just plain inaccurate
or opinion presenting itself as fact? Again, the answer is you
can't really know. All you can do is be sure of the path you
personally need to follow, walk that with confidence and accept
that you cannot know what is or is not lurking in the shadows,
whether that is in an ancient woodland or in todays information
jungle.
regards
Graham
PS It was an interesting day yesterday. Seven of us turned out for
the photographer to take pictures for the article in the Western
Gazette which I assume is being published on Thursday. Thanks to
everyone for the support there. Then we had the last Stav class of
the year in the evening and I had seven people training. Then we
went to the pub for a Christmas drink afterwards, so a most
satisfactory day. Now it is just a matter of getting the Stav
Centre going in the new year.