The above quote comes from the incomparable, Upton Sinclair, and is as true today, or perhaps more so, then it was back when Sinclair first espoused such wisdom. The thing about how we learn and comprehend, is that however that we get our information, whether it is through social media, our educational system, or establishment media, or various other assorted means, that we often don’t think enough about the possible motivations and the incentives of those that are writing their words and teaching us. In other words, those that are dependent, for example, upon the need for fossil fuels to be the prevalent form of energy in America, are going to easily find a way to espouse the necessity as well as the reliability of these fuels, through their voice. That is to say, it doesn’t matter much to these people, how pertinent or right that the opposing side may well be, when these persons recognize that for their continued good salary as well as their steady employment, that they would be far better served championing what is personally beneficial for them, above all else.
There are plenty of people that seem to be rather intelligent, perceptive, and astute, so it does seem rather surprising whenever we get from them an answer that doesn’t seem to mesh up well with the reality and totality of the situation as we see it. Yet, when we begin to comprehend, that when we communicate with others, that we have to take into fair account, that their opinions or even that which they call “facts” are often subject to their personal proclivities and interests, then this thus begins to make more logical sense to us. This thus means, that part of the explanation for why business decisions are sometimes seemingly unfathomable, is the fact that the executives of those companies so making those decisions, often have an incentive or incentives, that are in opposition to those that they so employ. In other words, in the executive office, their main goal may be to hit certain profit and sales margins, and if this thus means, less money for those that they so employ, or layoffs of certain employees, then these executives are going to often do that, because these upper management people don’t want to understand or to take into account, that those that are their employees have their own needs to meet, as well.
We like to believe that we live in a world of equal opportunity, egalitarianism, and fairness, but the reality of the situation is that there are plenty of people that have no interest in a world like that; but prefer instead to be in a construct in which they receive more opportunity, are accorded their class benefits, and life is structured in a way that is purposefully favorable to them. They want this, because they want what they want, and don’t care about backing anything that would take away from what they so have, and therefore will not listen to reason or anything that would upset their current status. Indeed, the vast majority of people clearly know the difference between right and wrong, as well as between fairness and unfairness, but despite knowing this, they find that for their own selfish interests, that they are better served by pretending to not understand, what they do indeed understand, because they do not wish to give up what they so have and value.