It’s unfortunate that so much attention was paid to the fake signer at Mandela’s funeral, one of the greatest leaders of our time. But such is the current cynical nature of humankind. Our minds are prepped for disaster, a complex way of thinking and filtering that dominates our frontal lobe and enhances our ability to get through the uncertainty of each day. It’s like a shield of negativity that protects us from the worst case scenario by preparing us to expect it and then through the repetition of saying it and hearing it, dilutes its sting.
So we don’t talk so much about President Obama’s historic inauguration but rather we focus on Beyonce’s lip sync; not about some dying cancer patient getting treatment, but rather the healthcare website going down; not about the great catch in the final seconds of the Superbowl, but rather Janet Jackson’s breast falling out.
Although it seems like a scene taken straight out of Psych, the elevated discussion of the fake signer is part of a complex mitigation process attached to our society’s ability to cope with constant uncertainty. It’s how we have learned to survive, by bringing it up, beating it down and slowly transforming it into today’s normality.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/12/11/mandela-south-africa-deaf-fake/3985257/