Age of nonsense is here

Nonsense is not difficult to detect. Some people hear it, others see it, still others can sense it. A few claim it has a smell. Dogs are able to detect nonsense, as when you make a throwing motion and no ball leaves your hand.

Scientific study of nonsense shows it is increasing at a growing rate. This is because mass production of nonsense by large, powerful organizations is new, well organized and grandly funded. Celebrities, talking heads, book-cookers, lobbyists, crackpots and politicians flood the world with improbable statements and ludicrous ideas. This massive assault overwhelms ears, eyes and brains.

Because the saturation point has been reached, we probably will not see a reduction in nonsense during our lifetimes. Lucky we live in an age with earplugs, off-switches and volume control. Not to worry. Soundproof cellars, isolated caves, abandoned mines and lost forests may soon become prime real estate.

This story was originally published June 29, 2017 at 5:49 PM with the headline "Age of nonsense is here."