by Kevin Finn, All News Pipeline:
In 1634 the Dutch became enamored of tulips. So much so that many neglected their ordinary affairs in order to pursue the tulip trade. Soon, tulip sales were posted on the Stock Exchange of Amsterdam. People bought tulip bulbs on credit hoping to recoup their expenses as the value climbed. By 1637 the market turned, as markets always do, and investors had to sell their bulbs at a loss, some declaring bankruptcy. Prices returned to normal the following year.
TRUTH LIVES on at https://sgtreport.tv/
One spring day in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, a group of young girls accused local women of bewitching them, claiming the women caused them to be possessed by Satan. Tensions were already high due to conflicts with local Native American tribes, a recent smallpox outbreak, and the normal jealousies and disputes between neighbors. Hysteria ensued, followed by trials and one woman was hanged. The hangings of eighteen more women followed and 150 other men, women and children were similarly accused. By September, the panic subsided and life returned to normal.
Americans in the 19th century saw fads such as hairpin pilfering and ring turning, while people in the 20th century were entertained by things like telephone booth stuffing, telephone pole sitting, and dance marathons. All these came into the public consciousness, assumed temporary popularity, and then passed by the wayside. Some of them were fun and mostly harmless, others caused physical and financial harm.
It could be argued that these are examples of social contagion, which occurs when a message is amplified and ‘goes viral.’ We’ve seen it recently with idiotic challenges such as those involving Tide Pods, cinnamon, and hot peppers. Tragically, when certain crimes are glamorized they can inspire copycats who then drive cars through crowds, participate in smash-and-grab robberies, or attempt to assault or even assassinate public figures.
A particularly disturbing recent development involves pediatric transgender surgeries. Once extremely rare, the occurrence increased rapidly in the new millennium, with one estimate placing the number of pediatric gender clinics as high as 300. Children who avail themselves of these treatments receive puberty blockers, hormones, and surgeries. I’ll leave it to the reader to investigate the details of phalloplasties and metoidioplasty. I recommend you not eat beforehand. One report found that in the U.S., 53% of adults who identify as trans are under 35, with 23% of adults between the ages of 35 and 54 and the same percentage of those over 55.
Are they getting a message that it’s cool to be trans? Celebrities like Charlize Theron and Cher have gay, trans, and non-binary children. Actress Marcia Gay Harden has three! She says this, “What drives me is my children are all queer. My eldest child is nonbinary. My son is gay. My youngest is fluid. And you know, they are my kids and they teach me every day.”
Two questions come to mind. The first is wondering what the odds are that all three of anyone’s kids would be gay, and the second is wondering how those kids know so much more than their mother that they’re teaching her something new every day.
Children and teens focus on their places within their peer group. They’re establishing their own unique identities and trying to optimize approval and acceptance from their peers while also seeking to minimize disapproval and rejection. One way young people find their place and gain approval is through imitation. Children will change their opinions and behaviors so that they coincide with those of their peers, especially those peers who are popular and likable.
That stands to reason. Everyone wants to be like the popular person who everyone admires. We’ve all seen children who suddenly evince a desire for a particular toy, item of clothing, or a liking for a certain celebrity.
But what happens when the desired item or celebrity is sending the wrong message? What happens when susceptible people focus an inordinate amount of attention on people or things that are harmful? Friedrich Nietzsche once said that, “If you stare into the Abyss long enough the Abyss stares back at you.”
When we cast our gaze heavenward we aspire toward those things that are noble and good. Not so with the Abyss. When we stare, when we dwell too long on things that are unwholesome we run the risk of those things changing us in unfavorable ways. This becomes even more dangerous when science and technology allow us to pursue those ideas to extremes. Add preexisting mental instabilities to the mix and you’ve got some dangerous combinations.
Read More @ AllNewsPipeline.com
