[secede] -- poison
I just want to see what the kids are listening to these days.
I just want to see how terrible this movie really is.
I just want to see what the mainstream media is saying about this.
These statements are considered eminently reasonable, signs of a broad and penetrating intellect. The following are not.
I just want to see what happens if I put my hand on a hot stove.
I just want to see if drinking bleach is really that bad.
I just want to see what will happen if I cut my femoral artery.
But what is the difference?
One of the great benefits of being a human is *not* having to experience everything firsthand. We can learn from others that certain actions invariably cause harm. Yet, in the cultural sphere, many otherwise intelligent people seem determined to live like animals who must learn everything for themselves. Knowing that something is poison does not make it any less poisonous. Knowing that something is propaganda does not diminish its efficacy.