Politics

Economic indicators – data points, trends, and micro-categories – are the widgets of the big information industry. By contrast, indicators for our society’s democratic health are not similarly compiled, aggregated, and reported. Its up and downtrends are presented piecemeal and lack quantitative precision. #society #politics

In 1995 Dr Andrew Wakefield started investigating a possible link between gastrointestinal issuesI, the MMR vaccine, and neurological injury in children. In pursuit of this possible link, he participated in a study of twelve children with both stomach and developmental issues. The ensuing report, written with twelve other authors would catapult him into becoming one of the most controversial figures in the history of medicine. Despite attempts to silence his work, Dr. Wakefield continues to share his revelations around vaccinations, and the role of big pharma.

Had the Declaration of Independence been written today, it would have rendered its signers, extremists or terrorists, resulting in them being placed on a government watch list, targeted for surveillance of their activities and correspondence, and potentially arrested, held indefinitely, stripped of their rights and labeled enemy combatants. #foundingfathers