Lying Eyes

Finnish author, Sebastyne Young, once wrote, “A picture can tell a thousand words, but a few words can change its story.”

That is certainly the case with the picture accompanying this article. This picture was used on Facebook in advertising GatesNotes the sometimes whimsical blog of Bill Gates.

When growing up among nature and forests, one can often sees timber cuts. The indispensable primary industries of farming, fishing, mining (including oil and gas) and forestry, all extract natural resources for the benefit of humanity.

The picture included here looks like a typical timber cut, yet the words added give the photo a pessimistic, harmful portrayal – a contemptible adversary of the environment - exactly the intent.

Perhaps to some like hamburger grown at McDonald’s, lumber comes from a lumber or hardware store. While they can live handsomely in a house built by people relying on the gifts of nature, the photo shows what must now be condemned and considered as an abhorrent act. The picture depicts a scene unobserved by the vast majority of urbanites. It is most certainly not a prime vacation destination. It is meant for marketing to the marketable.

However, in the real world this photograph illustrates where hard-working people have made a living, both off the strength of their back and the sweat off their brow. It shows an area that does not appear to have been seeded – again quite purposeful.

As I have written before, there are more trees in all of North America, then prior to the story of Columbus’ discovery in the year 1492. This is all because now forest fires or wildfires are extinguished and, unlike the days of yore, do not burn until the arrival of winter. Cut forests are also replanted with ‘private’ companies doing the vast share of this work.

Alarmist environmentalists love to put up pictures that mythically portray their cause – like a single ailing polar bear is supposed to represent the other 35,000 healthy ones in the northern latitudes - the single sickly beast supposedly signifying the heartlessness of a cruel people.

There are photographs of simple steam taken with the sun behind it to give it the appearance that a black death is constantly being poured upon us.

Anthony J. Mahavoric, better known as Tony Robbins is an American author, motivational speaker, and personal and business coach. I saw a video where he asked a fellow sitting across from him to look around a room they both occupied. Then he asked the fellow to close his eyes and name the things he saw that were “red”. The fellow had no answer. Although there were red items in the room, adorned mostly in a lawyerly decorated room full of oak, the fellow could not name to any items he saw that were red. Robbins’ message in this exercise was essentially, “You can only see what you’re looking for”.

Fanatics lie in pictures. The unlearned believe it in color.