Question of the month August 2025: The Fear Mongers
- Thread starter CaddmannQ
- Start date
Husker88
20g
I wonder. It's to the point that I just don't believe or trust 90% of what I see and hear on TV or online. Information is so skewed by political interests, corporate interests and foreign interests that between AI and the ability to quite literally create video and voice duplication, everything is called into question. For the time being the only solution is to unplug. The only way to change the media - absent any significant legislation - would be large scale boycotts. Not likely, as we now have three generations that have become dependent on the internet and everything that their hand held devices can offer. Litigation is expensive and they all know it. Even out and out lies go unchallenged as it falls back on the old attorney mantra: "how much justice can you afford?"
We stopped cable three years ago. The TV is rarely on. Even our local TV and radio stations have become propaganda outlets. Even a damn weather broadcast can't seem to happen without multiple mentions of "climate change".
I'm a little encouraged by one current trend in the cell phone biz: some are turning back to flip-phones. Basic devices. Consumer Cellular has some new offerings and others are coming. Some people are realizing that smart phones are basically tracking and data collection devices that allow you to make phone calls and texts....and get your hourly fix of internet propaganda.
Fear mongering has proven to be VERY profitable. Every other YouTube maven is forecasting the end - so stock up on whatever they are selling. Survival food, communication gear, weaponry, water purification, etc. etc
Good topic
We stopped cable three years ago. The TV is rarely on. Even our local TV and radio stations have become propaganda outlets. Even a damn weather broadcast can't seem to happen without multiple mentions of "climate change".
I'm a little encouraged by one current trend in the cell phone biz: some are turning back to flip-phones. Basic devices. Consumer Cellular has some new offerings and others are coming. Some people are realizing that smart phones are basically tracking and data collection devices that allow you to make phone calls and texts....and get your hourly fix of internet propaganda.
Fear mongering has proven to be VERY profitable. Every other YouTube maven is forecasting the end - so stock up on whatever they are selling. Survival food, communication gear, weaponry, water purification, etc. etc
Good topic
I certainly think each of us must make an informed desision as to what we and our families want or allow ourselves to be exposed to these days. All forms of the media are bought and paid for by someone who is trying to get us to believe in something, buy something or, most likely, brain washed us with their propaganda. This includes our own government and certainly both political parties. No better example today that the false information coming forth on the "Russian Conclusion" propaganda on the presidential election.
For me:
I do not watch television other than a few baseball games and when the commercials come on I mute the sound and try to not focus on the images.
Each morning I "scan" about 10 news feeds from around the world. Each of these have their own political bias and promote their "if you don't believe what we say you're going to die" BS. I take in the few stories that interest me and read different perspectives and finally make up my on mind as to what I believe are the "real" facts. All these sources are totally bias in the propaganda they put out and in most case you can find 100% opposite "truths" promoted on any subject. Unfortunately we have way too many people who only listen or read and more importantly believe a single information source be it TV, social media, or internet.
The same can be said about the internet. Most of us who participate in gun forums are daily exposed to the "paid youtube promoters" trying to get you to buy some gun, ammo or the latest crap which they all profess is the best thing on the market and something you must have today. Gun reviews on youtube are the worst and we have discussed them on this forum in the past. These guys get paid to promote products but typically fail to tell you that fact. And if you ever view or read about a product you will likely have an ad for that product pop up a few minutes later. Do you ever wonder if they are tracking everything you click on?????
Smartphones in my opinion is the worst. The track every move and thing you do and likely listen in. One example - the auto insurance we have requires you to install their little device in your car so they, through a bluetooth connection, can track every where you go and all aspects about how you drive. All in the name of "saving you money" while the real reason to mitigate the insurance company's liability and weed out the bad drivers. There certainly is a reason to go back to the basic flip phones.
About 50 years ago I had a neighbor tell me that if I didn't believe in his religion and what it professed then I was going to hell. My response was that there are over 100 religions around the world that have different religious believes and if he was actually correct in what he believed then hell was going to be a very crowded place. He looked at me dumbfounded. But the conversation was eye opening and something I always remember.
For me:
I do not watch television other than a few baseball games and when the commercials come on I mute the sound and try to not focus on the images.
Each morning I "scan" about 10 news feeds from around the world. Each of these have their own political bias and promote their "if you don't believe what we say you're going to die" BS. I take in the few stories that interest me and read different perspectives and finally make up my on mind as to what I believe are the "real" facts. All these sources are totally bias in the propaganda they put out and in most case you can find 100% opposite "truths" promoted on any subject. Unfortunately we have way too many people who only listen or read and more importantly believe a single information source be it TV, social media, or internet.
The same can be said about the internet. Most of us who participate in gun forums are daily exposed to the "paid youtube promoters" trying to get you to buy some gun, ammo or the latest crap which they all profess is the best thing on the market and something you must have today. Gun reviews on youtube are the worst and we have discussed them on this forum in the past. These guys get paid to promote products but typically fail to tell you that fact. And if you ever view or read about a product you will likely have an ad for that product pop up a few minutes later. Do you ever wonder if they are tracking everything you click on?????
Smartphones in my opinion is the worst. The track every move and thing you do and likely listen in. One example - the auto insurance we have requires you to install their little device in your car so they, through a bluetooth connection, can track every where you go and all aspects about how you drive. All in the name of "saving you money" while the real reason to mitigate the insurance company's liability and weed out the bad drivers. There certainly is a reason to go back to the basic flip phones.
About 50 years ago I had a neighbor tell me that if I didn't believe in his religion and what it professed then I was going to hell. My response was that there are over 100 religions around the world that have different religious believes and if he was actually correct in what he believed then hell was going to be a very crowded place. He looked at me dumbfounded. But the conversation was eye opening and something I always remember.
Last edited:
Bobster
.30-06
Cable guy came today to diagnose an issue. We had "noise" in a 20yo wall connector he detected with his fancy meter. Removed the connector and ran the wire straight through--problem solved. In chatting after he was done he remarked how some people would be in crisis mode with their cable out!
I'd love to get rid of cable TV. The wife watches her MSNBCNN "news" and it is agonizing how much propaganda they spew. EVERYTHING has a spin to it!
Fox News is not too bad but are more "neutral" and not "MAGA" as the other slimedia portend them to be. That CC offers discounts for AARP members tells me they are bought and paid for. AARP is a progressive org. with an agenda and I won't do biz with them. A few months ago, my cousin tells me he has "referred" me to them for some kind of discount and to just fill out the form they send and send it back to them. I went off the wall on him and told him I was going to burn his trailer down with him IN it if I got ANY kind of correspondence from them!
Apparently my threat worked because I never heard from them... I still use my smart phone as a phone. I rarely get calls but texting works for me as long as someone doesn't want to have a conversation with their fingers because I do NOT do that NOR do I read overly long texts--deletedeletedelete. I DO like the way they can be used as a tool for navigation, taking pics and movies, mp3 player, etc. I'll use mine as as "tethered" internet occasionally at the shop. I had cable internet at one time but they raised their intro rate from $60/month to $120/month and I told them to get stuffed--I don't need internet that badly and the phone fills those needs when I do.
But I normally keep all my shit turned OFF: wifi, location, 5G, etc. all OFF! I have gone and turned off all the bloatware "features" they load phones up with nowadays. Any apps I don't use or will never use are deleted. This may take a little time and probing of settings but is well worth it. My phone battery will last for days and I'm using a 5+ year old Galaxy S9+. I'm very apprehensive about having to replace it...
I "listen" to MeTV and StoryTV OTA as I work in my shop. It is easy to envision in my mind what is on the screen as they air reruns of reruns... I could do without all the repeated commercials for Viagra and ConCell.
As mentioned, cable TV is more for the wife although I'll watch Adult Swim (cartoons) and occasional broadcasts from FoxNews. I'll occasionally watch Rumble or gootoob videos on the Roku.About the only "news" I look at is from TownHall.com who sends an Email every day with links to various stories. I don't believe everything THEY say, either and some of their columnists are "alarmists" with clickbait titles so I take their content with a grain of salt.
PS: I also get Babylon Bee's daily email with headlines that ALWAYS bring a smile to my face.
I stopped watching/unsubbed/unliked/negatively commented a number of guntoobers when they started shilling for a local lipNfall lawyer--"the world's largest". One that is all over the airwaves here in the Orlando area. And I'm not talking the pre-ads or in-ads, they are actually endorsing the shysters IN their videos!
Their greed overcame their integrity and I will NEVER watch them again.I am willing to bet lots of money that when the Sig P320 fiasco finally plays out, the slipNfalls will be the first to start airing ads like "Did your Sig cause you mental anguish and suffering? Call now to receive compensation!"
And if anyone was NOT paying attention, you are being tracked EVERYWHERE! Phones of course, what you watch on cable, "cookies" on your computer from web sites, license plate readers in your neighborhood and so on. Information is worth money and companies are sucking as much of it off you as they can!
Firstly, they would not be MY insurance company.
Secondly, I consider myself to be an excellent driver (don't we all? ). But I tend to drive ummm, "efficiently" (agressively?) but politely. I also exceed the speed limit like 95% of the other drivers in this area. So any dongle on my car is immediately and unequivically a non-starter. 
The fear mongering really festers like an infected open sore in the weather forecasters. Here in Oklahoma during spring thunderstorm season the fm is nonstop. Hello, it is spring in Oklahoma, we have severe weather.
The sad thing is that so many can’t think for themselves and need this info spoofed to them.
Now, the news media , in lockstep with the Democrats have perfected the art. Every sentence Trump speaks is gone over with a fine tooth comb, trying to find two words they can turn into a sky is falling story.
The sad thing is that so many can’t think for themselves and need this info spoofed to them.
Now, the news media , in lockstep with the Democrats have perfected the art. Every sentence Trump speaks is gone over with a fine tooth comb, trying to find two words they can turn into a sky is falling story.
To answer the questlion, free speech encompasses a lot of speech we don’t like. It’s the nature of the beast.