NIC: Policy over propaganda

The Straw Man strikes again. It’s hard to beat a narrative that’s been projected and promoted for years. Take the North Idaho College trustee race. The mantra Save NIC has been repeated over and over in The Press, on social media, and recently posted on signs around town. If you repeat something often enough, whether it is true or not, people will believe it. Chicken Little won the day.

People are drawn to drama. Did you see the video of the baby sky diving? It was AI generated but many believed it and it went viral. Oh, how we human beings are susceptible to hyperbole. Take an issue, blow it out of proportion, and parade the Straw Man. Advertisers know this very well. Take a narrative, stroke the emotion, and half the battle is won. The Founding Fathers knew this about human nature too, which is why they designed a Constitutional Republic not a pure Democracy. Can you image in our day and age how easy it would be to create long-term chaos if the masses were in control.

Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people.” Let’s rise above the emotional triggers which often are used for propaganda and manipulation. Let’s aim for greatness and start focusing on policy. Policy over personality is a hard hurtle but it is necessary if we want Kootenai County to shine in the future. Next time you hear a battle cry, examine the emotionally charged words. Is it true or is it a tired narrative that lacks standing. Is the sky really falling?

JENNY HOLMES

Post Falls