Price Family Research Collection Held At Jones Memorial Library In Lynchburg, Virginia. The Collection Includes Charts, Correspondence, Notes, And Research On The Price And Allied Families.
The paper "Prevaricators, Pundits and Politics" by Robert Wimer discusses the degradation of political discourse in America, attributing it to partisan media and polarizing figures. The paper highlights the impact of various conservative and liberal pundits and their best-selling books, emphasizing the loss of civility and the rise of hateful rhetoric in political debates. It explores the historical context of political discourse and calls for a return to thoughtful, balanced discussion.
Text of a lecture delivered to the Sphex Club in Lynchburg. The paper, titled "Presumptions, Prophecies, and Predictions," explores the myriad ways in which expert predictions and decisions have historically faltered, often with significant consequences. Drawing from a broad spectrum of examples across technology, military strategy, economics, and more, the author illustrates the frequent disparity between confident forecasts and actual outcomes. Key instances include the underestimation of the telephone, the automobile, and digital technology's impact, highlighting the complex interplay between innovation, societal acceptance, and the limitations of foresight. The paper concludes by reflecting on the implications of these prediction failures for understanding future trends and decision-making processes.
