How to Be a Critical Looker

And how to stick up for what you know is true.

Photo by Paul Skorupskas on Unsplash

This is not a story about left or right, or who’s President of the United States now or who was last year. This is about trusting your instincts and not letting others convince you that you’re wrong. And since this is the hottest story of the moment, we’re going to use it as an example.

“Late-breaking” news

A book came out this week titled Original Sin. It’s by CNN anchor Jake Tapper and Axios reporter and CNN contributor Alex Thompson. The book, according to press material from its publisher, Penguin Random House, is “an unflinching and explosive reckoning with one of the most fateful decisions in American political history: Joe Biden’s run for reelection despite evidence of his serious decline—amid desperate efforts to hide the extent of that deterioration.”

These revelations stunned some people, including Whoopi Goldberg, who said on The View, “I want somebody to tell me, when did you know it was bad? If you knew, why did you wait?”

To which others might ask, “How did you not know until now?”

The big news is not that Joe Biden was experiencing cognitive decline during at least the last two years of his presidency. It’s that his administration and many reporters insisted that Biden was fit as a fiddle and sharp as a tack. They gaslighted millions of Americans who saw for themselves that the President was stumbling and forgetful.

“Cheap fakes!” they cried when presented with video evidence of Biden acting confused.

“He’s beyond cogent. He’s better than he’s ever been.”

But…

And…

Now it has been revealed that Biden indeed was not up to par, that he forgot dates and people, and that there was concern he’d become so incapacitated he’d need a wheelchair. This was not totally unknown to the press. On the PR tour for his book, Tapper has admitted that he should have investigated into rumblings about Biden’s decline. He has also said that he shouldn’t have accused conservative media outlets of claiming Biden was unfit or accusing people of making fun of Biden’s lifelong stutter when they were actually worried about his mental capacity.

Cover-ups happen all the time. Usually, they are hidden well enough that only the most astute people can figure them out. In this case, you didn’t have to be astute; you just had to have your eyes open.

Americans have a right to be angry. People don’t appreciate being told they’re wrong, ageist, hateful, etc., when what they’re actually being is observant and perhaps concerned that a frail man was being pushed through the arduous workdays of the President of the United States.

CONCLUSION: No matter who the President is or what you think of them, don’t doubt what you see. Be cautious when an administration immediately cries “Misinformation!” despite what your eyes tell you. Don’t fight with friends and family members who disagree. It’s not worth it. If you are right, the truth will eventually come to light. If you’re wrong, be a big person and admit that. Keep your mind open, but remember that your eyes seldom deceive you. And again, this is true all the time.