Cult of Ffynche
Non Est Festinandum
England in the 17th century: wives, mothers, husbands and fathers are tried, convicted and punished for crimes against church and state, embodied in the form of Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins — without recourse to evidence.
America in the 20th century: people working in the entertainment industry, academics and union leaders are accused, condemned and blacklisted for un-American activities by Senator Joe McCarthy — on the basis of hearsay and rumour.
China in the 21st century: a form of Artificial Intelligence is being developed to empirically prove the innocence or guilt of suspects under questioning by measuring microscopic changes in body physiology — without the need for expensive court cases.
‘You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows’
Bob Dylan
Gospel
Brittle England
With the benefit of hindsight we can look back to the 17th century and convince ourselves that this was a very different world. The country was in the iron grip of madness, held firm by rumour, unfounded allegation…..and fear.
But it’s not such a different world. The methods by which rumour and allegation spread are now technologically based and sophisticated…and infinitely more insidious. Infinitely more menacing. Words spread like wildfire, targeted at the gullible, the distracted and the apathetic.
“Fake news! Fake news!” is the cry from politicians who want only their lie to be believed. And it doesn’t matter even if the lie is exposed. Nobody cares. Fake news gives birth to itself. Fake news eats itself and then gives birth again. Just say it. Sell it.
Until fake news destroys itself, we should still fear.
This song is a heartfelt plea for truth.
Always better loud
Brittle England
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