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"May you live in interesting times," goes the proverb. Many people, (including me until five minutes ago), believe this to be an old Chinese saying. However, contrary to popular belief, the saying appears to be neither old nor Chinese.
This is a perfect example for how easy and commonplace it is for people - even a whole lot of people - to believe things that aren't true.
Just because "everybody knows" something, is not a proof that the thing is true.
At the same time, it's also an example of how the truth does exist, and is identifiable. In this case the power of the Net, used by Wikipedia, makes it possible for the work of many individuals to be brought together so as to identify the facts and publish them for others to use.
We certainly live in interesting times today. This is a time when the country is about equally divided between Liberals and Conservatives; strangely, the thinking of the Conservatives seems incomprehensible to the Liberals, and the thinking of the Liberals seems incomprehensible to the Conservatives.
It appears to me that one of the key beliefs of the Liberals, is that those who are less successful in life, are that way specifically because they are oppressed by those who are more successful. And so, since America is the most successful nation in the world, many Liberals believe that therefore it follows that America is the most oppressive nation in the world, and that all the world's troubles would disappear if America would stop doing the things that have made it successful.
Conservatives don't buy that. Conservatives believe that those who are less successful in life, are that way because they are less well adapted to their environment, and that if they improved their own behavior, they would become successful.
One of these two groups is believing something that's not true, despite the fact that "everybody" on their side, knows that it is true.
On both sides it is believed that the outcome of the disagreement between the two groups will determine the future of America.
Conservatives believe that we're in a global war with radical Islam which we must win in order to avoid being nuked.
Liberals believe that there is no global war; they believe that the Conservatives are "just" trying to be successful, and so, must be stopped.
Interesting times, indeed.
