Parables? Shmareables!

So to stick with the sci fi theme...

Current events, the non-final frontier.  These are the voyages, blah blah blah.

There are lots of sci fi stories about telepathy.  Lots.  One of the more common themes, if I recall correctly, is the harmful social effect that true un-regulated telepathic powers would create.  Imagine if everyone knew how much you

• disliked white people.
• liked Bob's wife.
• REALLY liked Bob's wife.
• hated Carl's wife.
• REALLY hated Carl's wife.
• liked musicals.
• REALLY liked musicals.

Point being, you have your public, acceptable face, which lets you keep your job and your friends and your family intact, which is good for you and good for society.  And you've got that inner face that really wants to check on those back issues of Stump Humper magazine (yuck).

In my mind it started with bumper stickers.  From announcing "I HEART SOMETHINGOROTHER", progressing through "My kids rocks!" and the silly stick figure family crap, ending with various versions of "Fuck You if You Don't Agree!".  But I'm a grumpy Old Guy so who cares what I think.  What I know is that social media (and other factors) has made a bunch of people in this country unafraid to reveal their true inner selves, and made them feel encouraged to do so.

So pull down a statue, brawl with a nazi (I never get too upset when a socialist beats up another socialist), call for pogroms, go ahead.  Now I know who you are.  Yuck.