Edward Snowden has written about apophenia and I find myself rather unsatisfied with his article. Apophenia is, “the tendency to perceive meaningful connections between unrelated things.” Chuckling here, but I may well have a black belt in apophenia. Total apopheniac. I don’t suffer from it, I enjoy every moment of it.
Sez who? Seriously, who says the meaningful connections between unrelated things are wrong or delusional or inaccurate? Or as the famous quote from the movie “Conspiracy Theory” goes, “just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you.”
I used to call myself a conspiritress on account of the fact that I enjoy research and investigating obscure theories. I stopped however when all my theories started coming true. I set out to disprove some things and found so much truth, I wound up a bit cynical and jaded. I’m not a conspiracy theorist at all, my pragmatism actually makes me more of a conspiracy realist.
First let me say, reality is just brutal and people are totally depraved. That’s a presupposition I think the modern world is totally missing the boat on. In order to get out of bed in the morning and function among a great many sinners, we need a bit of delusion, a bit of unrealistic optimism. The odds of corruption, greed, and injustice ruling the day are 90 to one or something. The wildcard in any given human situation is actually grace, mercy, kindness, integrity, and justice. Those things are not the norm, they are unusual, rare, things hoped for far more then seen and realized.
Which brings me to statistics and another quote, “there are lies, damned lies, and statistics.” Take for example where I live, dinky rural area, people all in a dither over a 175% increase in covid cases this month, 6% representing breakthrough vaccine infections. This was info reported in the local newspaper so you know it must be true! Snark, what I really mean is that this is public info, so not confidential. What isn’t as well known is that represents a grand total of nine people. Nine people have tested positive for covid and are currently recovering nicely at home. How in the heck can you get an accurate statistic of 6% vaccine breakthrough cases when your entire sample is nine people? Did we chop someone up?
Nah, we just used math and algorithms, punched the data into the computer system and poof, according to the formula that makes 175% increase and a 6% breakthrough rate. It’s all very smart and professional, but it sure doesn’t translate into the real world of biological reality very well. You just can’t have a 6% rate when you’ve only got 9 people to study. Want to talk about data entry and clerical errors? Nevermind, that’s a whole other ballgame. Let me jut say, decimal points really, really matter.
Why does it all matter? Because here in the 9th circuit of hell, masks are becoming mandatory again, there is no visitation allowed at the hospital again and lockdowns are immanent. A bit creepy, but the signs posted now say, “to protect you from covid 19 and other respiratory infections...”
So we’ve just moved the goal post once again! This abuse will continue until we have rid the world of ALL upper respiratory infections? So basically your “new normal” will last until we have eradicated the common cold. And even then, I mean you could still be an asymptomatic carrier……
We need a whole lot more apophenia in the world right now, not less. Another way of saying that is, people need to think critically and start connecting the obvious dots right in front of them.
One last word about conspiracies, are we being played by an elite cabal of masterminds? Not so much. I’m sure there are a handful of Bilderbergers and Illuminati who fancy themselves in control of the world, and of course the assorted organized crime and rampant greed is going on, but for the most part what we are bearing witness to is simply collective human stupidity in action.
Couple of brainless ones were out this weekend promoting this idea of, “take the shot or get shot.” Let me tell you, human stupidity is not an excuse or a defense. Those gals are just as guilty of promoting fascism as Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates are.
You cannot blame the illuminati, congresscritters, or computer algorithms. We are willing participants in our own brainwashing and as such, we are fully accountable for our own participation levels and the fruits thereof. The biggest lie the enemy has ever sold us is this idea that we have no power, no control, and therefore no accountability.
Roland Ledoux said:
All I can say is I Love this Post!! 😉 ❤ For one thing, even though there is some true seriousness here, the way you presented it, I couldn't get that dag-burn smile off my face!!!
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Roland Ledoux said:
Reblogged this on FOR THE LOVE OF GOD.
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insanitybytes22 said:
Thank you, much appreciated! Glad you’re smiling, too. “A merry heart is good medicine.” 🙂
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Roland Ledoux said:
Okay Sis, that’s my OTHER website! 😉 🙂
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janjoy52 said:
Well said! Reblogging!😁👍👏👏👏👏
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insanitybytes22 said:
Thank you! 🙂
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seekingdivineperspective said:
“Nine people have tested positive for covid and are currently recovering nicely at home.” This is the kind of news that never makes the evening panicfest. “Positive cases” rarely means “severely ill.” Can you imagine if every head cold were broadcast on the news multiple times daily? Or the number of people killed or disabled in car crashes across the nation? Would we stop driving cars and label any who still drive as selfish, uncaring @#$%^&*s? ….SO tired of all this.
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insanitybytes22 said:
Right?! I don’t even want to hear about “cases.” Cases means everything from false positives to asymptomatic to having a slight cold. You will never eradicate “cases.” Kids in Britain have actually learned how to use soda to fool the LFT screening tests so it looks like they have covid and they don’t have to go to school. That’s how unreliable much of our testing is.
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seekingdivineperspective said:
You mean there are still kids that don’t want to go to school!? Every kid I know is dying to get back with his friends.
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Sam said:
I think Edward Snowden is out to get you.
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insanitybytes22 said:
LOL! The poor guy is much too busy trying to keep his own head above water.
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Doug said:
“First let me say, reality is just brutal and people are totally depraved.”
I resemble that remark. 🙂 Oh.. wait… I thought you said “deprived”!
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Salvageable said:
They can call it apophenia, but both superstition and science are based on the conclusion that two events in proximity to each other are somehow connected by cause-and-effect. And both (superstition and science) are reinforced by repetition of the two events happening together. We use the word “coincidence” when we come to the conclusion that they happened together but are not connected; but both science and superstition try to weed out the coincidences and to make plans on the remaining connections. They merely have different assumptions about the manner in which events may be connected. J.
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Tricia said:
This post made me chuckle even though the topic is very serious indeed. The biggest threat to the human species is fear, propelled by a panic driven media, mixed with our own innate stupidity, along with a giant heaping of government corruption all tied together nicely with social media.
So yes the blue staters are doomed, unless we all move to Florida or another free state. Last one to leave shut the lights out.
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dumbestblogger said:
I’m thinking about having my entire respiratory system surgically removed. It would help me avoid other respiratory infections.
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Sara's Musings said:
You stated,”who says that meaningful connections between unrelated things are wrong or delusional or inaccurate?” Exactly… It is not wrong or delusional or inaccurate. Have you heard of StrengthFinders? It’s one of the personality/career type tests that businesses and colleges/universities used with staff and students maybe a dozen years ago (it was very popular). It lists 34 “strengths” and “Connectedness” is one of those strengths (it is actually my #1 strength when I took the assessment 15 years ago). The following quote below comes from this link: https://www.leadershipvisionconsulting.com/how-to-understand-the-strengthsfinder-theme-of-connectedness/
“People with the strength of Connectedness enjoy being in situations and places that challenge their ability to connect seemingly random things to find meaning, value, information or explanation. People with Connectedness see within the tangible and intangible alike something that connects them with various people, places and experiences. At times, people with Connectedness appear to be randomly connecting a variety of obscure thoughts… but give them time, because you may find they have an amazing ability to weave those thoughts together to create a beautiful pattern of meaning.”
I just discovered your blog very recently, and your posts are often like a breath of fresh air. Your posts bring a smile to my face and often a nodding head in agreement. Keep ’em coming!
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Jon said:
I admire your ability to get others to respond to what you write. It shows you have made them think! You are right on the mark about not being able to pass the blame to the usual suspects (for believers at least). In the beginning, God gave us charge of the planet and the authority to carry out His charge. His word is eternally true, including that commission. The enemy has one weapon he can use against us: deception. For believers, that deception is simply some nuanced version of the yarn that our sin has somehow overshadowed Jesus’ ransom to buy us back out of bondage to sin. We look for “evidence” in the realm of the flesh instead of the spiritual sphere where the transformation of the new birth is already complete. In participating in the lie that the flesh is what matters, we have abandoned the power and authority the Holy Spirit is maintaining within us to do what God has called us to do. Not that the power is unavailable. We simply fail to avail because of unbelief. Failure to believe who God says He is and who He is in us. And that, I think, truly grieves Him.
Again, as I read through the comments, not every reader has the same take-away, but all take away something of value. Including me, of course. Well done, I say!
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Clyde Herrin said:
There is a worldwide conspiracy aimed at keeping people form knowing the truth and it has been in existence as long as the human race has existed. The conspirators are not humans but Satan and his demons. Second Corinthians 4:3,4 says, “If our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
There are probably many individuals and groups that are promoting conspiracies but they are merely tools that Satan is using to carry out his work. If we want to oppose error we must be sure we have identified our enemy correctly or all our efforts will be in vain.
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Doug said:
Ah.. “the devil made me do it” argument.
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Clyde Herrin said:
Reblogged this on clydeherrin.
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Pastor Randy said:
Your snarkiness with a touch of sarcasm serves you well! Great points. All I could add would be what I learned from statistics in college. 97.5699387457% of all statistical conclusions are made up.
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Clyde Herrin said:
Is the statistic you just quoted one of them?
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Pastor Randy said:
Well of course
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SLIMJIM said:
Right before reading this article I read news of people showing up to defend the prayer and worship group attacked by antfia on Saturday; how true your last sentence
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insanitybytes22 said:
Yes! Amen. Lots of good news in faith springing up all over the PNW! I am so encouraged when I see a few good men step forward and say “no.” Yayyy!
A big mob can be kind of scary, but for the most part “antifa” is just five or six unarmed bullies roaming the streets looking to feel important. It’s really frustrating to watch the cops just kind of rope off an area in the street for them to play and posture in, pretty much unhindered. They definitely have protection and political favor.
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SLIMJIM said:
So crazy the political enablement of antifa…
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