To know or not to know, that is the question

People use a word, “disinformation,” loosely because it means nothing more than words spewed out devoid of actual meaning, context, proof, fact, or ownership.

That does not mean those words were spewed without intent, written without intent, broadcast without intent. The old adage of “sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me” was wrong when I was a kid and even more wrong in the age in which we live, where words can travel to millions of people instantaneously, permanently circulating, always causing harm. I’ll take physical sticks and stones over diarrheal vituperous words promulgated on the Internet any day.

The world we are entering, where a sole person can decide to rename a 600-year-old, internationally accepted place name as a whim requires us to stop and think of the dystopian world that’s being built around us, for us, encaging us, corrupting us. The Gulf of Mexico being renamed may seem like a trivial matter as it rebounds to and is endorsed by Google, MSN, and other Internet platforms. However — at a stroke — truth and fact have been obliterated. This is a modern form of book-burning. Once burned, those books cannot be re-read, cannot be learned from, cannot influence thinking and intelligence. The Gulf of Mexico as historic fact has been obliterated, sanctioned by the very backbone of the Internet providers.

But, like book burning in the ‘30s, they have shown their hand, their capitulation to the new dystopian world; no doubt for profit or ideology. It doesn’t matter which. The fact is this, if you know it is the Gulf of Mexico, has been for 600 years, and someone tells you it is no longer named so, then you can easily decide if that someone is to be trusted. If not, tell everyone you know that they are wrong. Don’t simply roll over. In short, you have to decide if you want to join the book burners or stand against their intent and distortion of fact and reality. Speak up.

Acceptance without revolt is capitulation, corruption of your very being. How do you revolt against such entities as Google, MSN and others? Probably you cannot. But then at least you will know that whatever they make, whatever they promote, whatever they post is not to be blindly trusted ever again. Remember, if it seems false, if it smells like smoke, it is likely a form of book burning in the modern Internet age. You can check, you can become a gatekeeper of truth. You have to. If you don’t, they have won and the world as you know it will not survive.

A solution? Read actual books. Rejoin your library, become a supporter of literary fact, research, and time-tested fact.

Peter Riva, a former resident of Amenia Union, now lives in Gila, New Mexico.

The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Lakeville Journal and The Journal does not support or oppose candidates for public office.

Latest News

The Hydrilla Menace: Twin Lakes group buoyed by DEEP’s assault on invasive hydrilla in 2025

A detail of a whorl of hydrilla pulled from the shallow waters at O’Hara’s Landing Marina in fall of 2024.

Photo by Debra A. Aleksinas

SALISBURY — The Twin Lakes Association is taking an earlier and more aggressive approach to fighting the spread of invasive hydrilla in East Twin Lake by dosing the whole northeast bay, from May through October, with low-level herbicide treatments instead of spot treatments.

The goal, said Russ Conklin, the TLA’s vice president of lake management, is to sustain herbicide concentration over the 2025 growing season.

Keep ReadingShow less
Frederick Wright Hosterman

KENT — Frederick Wright Hosterman passed away peacefully in his home in Kent on April 16, 2025. Born in 1929 in Auburn, Nebraska, he was the son of farmers. He attended a one-room schoolhouse just outside of Brownville, Nebraska, adjacent to his family’s farm. The little brick schoolhouse is still standing! After graduating from high school, Fred attended the University of Nebraska (Lincoln), eventually earning a master’s degree in agronomy. He took a job with Monsanto in Buffalo, New York, where the company was a pioneer in applying biotechnology to agricultural sciences. In Buffalo, Fred met his future wife, Dorothy. Fred and Dorothy moved to New York City for several years in the early 1960s, before settling down in Norwalk. In Norwalk, Fred and Dorothy had three children. The family later moved to Kent. In 1980, Fred and Dorothy divorced, and Fred bought a large tract of land on Carter Road in Kent. He built a house there, largely by himself, which he maintained until his death at age 95. After taking early retirement, he spent the following decades working on his property, adding various buildings, woodcrafting, landscaping, and spending time with his children and grandchildren.

Keep ReadingShow less
Nancy (Case) Brenner

CANAAN — Nancy (Case) Brenner, 81, of Canaan, passed away peacefully in her sleep at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Torrington, following a long illness on Good Friday, April 18, 2025.

Nancy was born on April 10, 1944, to the late Ray Sargeant Case Sr. and Beatrice Southey Case. She was the second youngest of five children, predeceased by her three brothers, Ray S. Case Jr., David E. Case and Douglas C. Case, and her sister Linda (Case) Olson. She grew up in New Hartford and Winsted, where she graduated from Northwestern Regional 7 High School.

Keep ReadingShow less