The idea of the marketplace of ideas is a good metaphor for what we live with.
The value of an idea is:
- How easily it can be sold, to as many people as possible.
- Whether it makes money.
- Whether it supports the power and income of the firm who starts it off or promotes it.
- Whether it helps you to buy further products or ideas from the promotor.
Not whether the idea is accurate or not.
Accuracy can:
- Scare people so they want to ignore it, and
- They won’t buy the idea, or further ideas from the promotor.
- Be relatively incomprehensible if it does not meld with previously bought ideas.
Accuracy is therefore of lesser concern than information which makes money or power.
