How does one go from being perfectly normal to occupying the fringe I find myself in? Credit my oldest daughter … though I may well have found another route here had that one not come along, but I remember the turning point she brought home.
In primary school she and her best friend shared the scholastic top of their class. The friend’s dad struck it rich, and she went off to an exclusive private high school for ninth grade. My daughter’s Dad couldn’t afford that, so she went to government high school. The next year a full-ride scholarship was offered to my girl, so she rejoined her best friend where they resumed their academic excellence positions. *
This school was a bit north of the San Francisco Bay, drawing students from well-heeled families all over that expensive bit of real estate. The facility was a retired military academy, but the high school teachers made as much as college professors. Impressive priorities.
As an interested parent, I gave a good look to her American History book. I figured I knew some things about that subject. OHMYGAWSH! While apparently well-researched, documented, and supported, this was NOT the history I learned in government schools. That was the fissure through which other non-mainstream information snuck into my brain.
History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.
– Winston Churchill
Also working in this mentally liberated direction was my wholesome aversion to common television PROGRAMMING and the whole lamestream media onslaught.
I tripped over The Real Lincoln, and When in the Course of Human Events simultaneously which further reinforced a history other than that written by the victors. I have a multi-hundred book library along those lines now.
How many other lies had I been sold?
Bit by bit, chink by chink, I came to realize that having ONE single source of education, media and politics essentially guaranteed an elusive relationship with TRUTH. The INTERNET came to life about the same time. It is our SUPERPOWER for those of us who choose to use it.
From 2020 on, I rubbed elbows with real economists, libertarians, philosophers, educators, investigators, honorable politicians, rebels, revolutionaries, and many more outliers. My education has been far better than any memorize-recite college or university could offer.
YOU ARE HERE
Obviously you are not fettered by the approved sources of information. I am glad you find some value here. I try. I also recognize we all have a lot to sort through. Good luck with all of that.
Regardless of any analytical failings you feel you may have, the herd is far behind you.
* I did eventually figure out that my daughter’s scholarship was from a private individual who wanted his daughter to enjoy the companionship and academic competition my daughter gave her. At their graduation ceremony I thanked him “for all he did” without any specifics, for something he never mentioned to us.
