On Mon, 23 May 2011, David H. Rothman wrote:
> the truth will generally come out.
Often not in time to save lives (of various sorts and numbers), due to
the fact that people can be manipulated and frightened if not educated in
how to think critically ("information literacy"?).
> carrying ... books debunking Protocols--which is much better than
> ignoring it completely, especially when, yes, it is on the Net (e.g.,
> the version at http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/przion1.htm).
Perhaps here the librarian-solution to obviating accusations of
prejudicial information-collecting would be to pop a note in each
debunking-book with a reference to the Net site.
> And far, far less obnoxious and more credible than a Clinton-style
> Ministry of Truth (I get full bashing privileges, incidentally--I'm a
> lifelong Democrat who voted for Bill and Al).
One would certainly hope that the initiation of discussion of
controversial ideas containing a diversity of approaches (propriety, need,
funding, control, "power", future potential misuse, etc.) would not hinder
the consideration for office of the individuals proposing those ideas,
particularly when the core concept is "truth" rather than self-interest
(or so we could insist).
> I can recall talk of "citizen scholars." Yes, that's just the way to
> think when a patron needs accurate job-related information or is dying
> of cancer.
Quite true, and that may be exactly how some patrons are thinking.
Considering the sad state of the professions these days, and their almost
exclusive interest in the bottom line, one needs to be able to research
the nature of ones prospective employers (god forbid the economy has been
ruined to the extent that everyone is forced to enslave themselves in
order to eat-- how did that happen?) and ones medical symptoms and
potential treatments.
Let's not throw the possibility of developing "citizen scholars" out with
the possibility that some persons are too desperate (or enslaved) to
study. Instead, we need to empower as many people as possible to work
to alleviate the
desperation.
Cheers!
jgm
John G. Marr
Cataloger
CDS, UL
Univ. of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131
jmarr_at_unm.edu
jmarr_at_flash.net
**There are only 2 kinds of thinking: "out of the box" and "outside
the box."
Opinions belong exclusively to the individuals expressing them, but
sharing is permitted.
Received on Mon May 23 2011 - 17:43:19 EDT