One of the things that Americans take pride in is the way that the country and its people are technologically advanced when compared to the rest of the world. Many of us have smartphones, tablets, computers, cars, and other advanced gadgets and gizmos that keep us occupied and often informed. This does not, however, translate very well in the political arena.
A year ago, most would have thought that there was no way that California could possibly vote against Proposition 37. In a state that is generally so liberal and whose people strongly condone healthy eating habits, it wouldn’t be possible to mount a political misinformation campaign that could squash such a clearly positive proposition. It was just about labeling, after all. It wasn’t a ban on genetically modified foods, just a mandate to let the people know when they were eating something that wasn’t completely natural.
Unfortunately for those who supported the proposition, they were outgunned and outsmarted by the companies that stood to lose the most from an informed public: Dupont, Dow, and Monsanto. After all, if Americans knew as much about what they eat as the people in oppressed countries like China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia, we might actually make good decisions about what we put into our mouths. This would be a miniscule blow to the astronomical profits that Monsanto and their cohorts make, but anything that hurts profits driven by an ignorant populace must be quashed at all costs.
The proposition was shot down by the politically ignorant and highly manipulable people of California.
Here’s a video from Jess Bachman at Visual.ly that breaks the whole debacle down nicely.
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1 Comment »
That a people of a nation wide access to technology does not mean that you have an understanding of the problems of their society.
The question is: Technology for that?
Improving the quality of life?
Improved understanding of social problems?
Improves access, clear and transparent information, so you can make political decisions?
I believe that technology as a tool, is a great partner for a nation to be free and educated, for people to participate fully in the political life of a nation.
But I believe that a nation must have progress in other areas, education policy, science, etc..
I agree, your main idea, of course from a own ignorance not being an American citizen. In my opinion, Americans are in an “i7″ in technology but in politics (as a practice to improve life) are running at 80486.