"I Saw It with My Own Two Eyes"

Really? Just what did you see?

We can no longer believe anything. A friend of mine posted on Facebook, “I saw it with my own two eyes.” I don’t believe that he actually witnessed what happened. He saw an image or a video of what was claimed to have happened. He instantly believed what he saw.

It is difficult not to believe the videos and photos that we see. Afterall, it might be true. We are more likely to believe something if we are predisposed to see it.

Some people might look at the above picture and see ICE agents. Some will see the reality that they are NICE officers. Where do NICE officers come from? Who controls them?

I created the image in under 2 minutes using Grok. It looks quite realistic. Yet it was quickly created from my imagination. I started out to demonstrate how easily I could create a video of police doing nefarious things. However, I didn’t want something that I created to get out of hand. So, I created NICE officers waving at you.

If a nearly 71-year-old (birthday Monday) man can create a realistic looking image in 2 minutes, imagine what a younger person with real skills can do. Be skeptical.

Here is the big deal, get control of your mind. If you are skeptical, you have begun the process of separation. An interesting thing begins to happen. When your emotions are extremely heightened, your reasoning ability is lowered. So, by lowering your emotional attachment, you begin to improve your reasoning ability. Mild to moderate emotion can be an aid. You can have gut reactions that can help inform your decisions.

However, the emotional, knee-jerk reaction has probably not been informed by reason. That begins a cascade that is difficult to overcome. Another problem we crave consistency. We have trouble admitting that we are wrong. So, if we make a knee-jerk decision, we are more likely to continue that action.

I read that is a brain washing technique. A person is asked questions that lead them to an answer. Then more questions are asked building on that answer. The questions and answers continue in a successful direction because we refuse to admit that we were wrong. Well did you lie the other day when you said …? Then, isn’t it true that …?

Slow down and think. Question your beliefs. Many times, we are being played. I’ll give you a simple example.

When my wife was teaching, she played CNN news to her students. CNN edited the news for kids. After a debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, my wife let the students watch the CNN edited version. She came home and told me that Clinton immediately went over and shook hands with the moderator and Trump refused to shake hands. My wife said, “Kids pick up on things like that.” I told her that CNN edited Trump out. I watched the entire thing. Trump saw that Clinton was shaking hands with the moderator and he shook hands with someone else and waited his turn.

Did CNN lie? No. Did they edit the video so that students would think Trump did not have the decency to shake hands with the moderator? Yes. Was that a lie? Yes. That is propaganda.

Images and videos can be created from imagination, just like the image I created. They can also be created by taking something real and editing it to give an impression.

Someone asked how I am evaluating news. After watching NBC Nightly News for years, I saw the reporters absolutely melt-down on election night 2016. I quit watching network news. I began following AP and Reuters. I discovered they were just a bad. They both reported that President Biden was “sharp as a tack.” We all learned differently.

I switched to X.com. I follow NBC, CBS, Reuters, AP. I also follow individual politicians on both sides. I see what they actually say in their posts rather than clips that the news outlets want me to believe that they say. I also follow Canadian politics. I follow Prime Minister Carney and his conservative opponent Pierre Poilievre. I also follow Premier Smith (Alberta), and Premier Eby (B.C.)

On X people can say what they want and others can respond. Sometimes falsehoods or fake images are quickly exposed. I have learned a lot.

In fact, Prime Minister Carney posted a video the other day that had me really evaluating the “New World Order.” Sounds like something out of Star Wars. I’ll create a post once I’ve thought about it more.

This post is about personal growth. Question yourself. Question your beliefs. Question what you see and think. Look for truth and become the person that you really want to be.