Health101.org
presents
Programming
Why Do You Believe What You Believe?
By Don Bennett, DAS
February 12, 2000
These articles are
devoted to passing on fascinating and enlightening information that
directly concerns each and every one of you. You may occasionally
find your jaw dropped. And you may discover some disturbing information,
but you'll be the wiser for it.
An expression comes to mind: And the truth
shall set you free. But for the truth to set you free, you must
be able to recognize it.
Today's society makes recognizing the truth difficult
at best. Between the misinformation, disinformation (deliberately
misleading information made public in order to influence public
opinion), and the agendas that aren't in your best interest, many
people may be making lifestyle decisions based on information that's
more myth than truth.
I take many polls, and here's one of my favorites:
"Do you believe you're being given the straight scoop by corporations,
associations, governments, and other organizations?" The overwhelming
majority answer with a most definite "No". Yet, when asked to give
an example, most people can't think of anything specific. What does
this tell us? It says we believe we're being bamboozled, we just
aren't sure exactly how.
But what about why? The best reason
for keeping the public misinformed, when you come right down to
it, is money; or more precisely, the want of money.
The economy is a big machine. And it's powered
by the profit motive. Now, there's nothing inherently wrong with
that, except when you're taken advantage of, for the sake of profit,
at the expense of your most valuable possession, your health.
Getting you to embrace that which is not good
for you is accomplished with programming. First let's look at a
recent example of some relatively harmless programming.
The cover of the January issue of Newsweek
proudly proclaims, "January 1, 2000 - Welcome to the 21st Century."
Let's scrutinize this a little. The first year,
A.D., was numbered "1." At the end of that first year, one year
had passed. At the end of 100 years year 100 A.D.
100 years had passed and the Second Century was ushered in. The
end of year 1,000 saw the beginning of the Second Millennium. Notice
I say the end of. So then why do the vast majority
of people tell me, in no uncertain terms, that we are now
in the 21st Century, and that the "New Millennium" has begun. It
doesn't take a mathematician to understand that the 21st Century
and the Third Millennium don't begin until next New
Year's Day; January 1, 2001. But when Corporate America and
the media say otherwise, and say it often enough, the people believe
it to be so.
True, this is no big deal; they're only arbitrary
numbers. But your health is a big deal. So now let's
look at some programming that affects health.
In another issue of Newsweek (I don't
mean to pick on them, but my auto mechanic has piles of 'em in his
waiting room), an article entitled, "Shaped by Life in the Womb"
admonishes pregnant women to "...limit yourself to a couple of cups
[of coffee] a day", and says, "Excessive alcohol causes facial and
heart defects..." Excessive? Does that imply that drinking alcohol
in moderation when pregnant is okay? Indeed, TV news shows have
presented us with stories touting alcohol's beneficial properties.
And we'd like to think these stories are balanced, but little to
no mention is made of the damaging effects of alcohol to various
organs. So how is that balanced? Obviously, it isn't. Yet I'm now
hearing from folks everywhere about the "benefits" of drinking alcohol.
They don't call it "television programming" for nothing.
Common sense would dictate that if coffee and
alcohol can negatively affect a fetus, one should totally abstain
from these substances for maximum protection. 'Tis better to be
safe than sorry, right? Not so it would seem, according to those
who profit from the sale of such substances.
Being an educated consumer is your first line
of defense in the process (what some call the battle) to retain/regain
your health. Remember, ill health is BIG business. There is no profit
in your being "fit as a fiddle", but you've got everything
to gain if you're "healthy as a horse."
So it's in your best
interest to get introspective every now and then and question why
it is that you believe what you believe about certain things that
can affect your health, especially the things that have large profits
associated with them, such as: what you eat, meds, skin care, cosmetics,
certain garments, and how you deal with your health, both physical
and emotional.
So remember folks, make sure your programming
is in your best interest. What you don't know CAN
hurt you! And what can also do you great harm is what you know,
that just ain't so.
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