Decoded

I just watched a show (recorded) on the History Channel called “Decoded.” After seeing the previews for this show, I thought it would be very interesting, as the host, Brad Meltzer, had apparently been given a sufficient budget and a cadre of brilliant assistants to research and explain some great mysteries. Exactly the kind of thing I’d love to do myself.

The excitement died inside of five minutes, as these well educated people started harping on conspiracy theories and made unsubstantiated assertions. We all know that television loves a good story more than it loves truth, but I had the thought that maybe someone as interested in solving great mysteries would be a logical and reasonable person.

In the interest of full disclosure, I am, and have been a Freemason for 12 years. This episode spoke at length about conspiracies concerning the Masons, and how they have a plot to establish a “New World Order.” I’m not a rocket scientist, but I could have easily disputed every argument made by so-called experts in their fields. The misstatements of fact were so numerous, I gave up trying to count them. Ridiculous fiction at best. At one point, they asserted that a member of the investigative team who was an attorney was a great addition to the team because he “gets lied to every day” and could be objective. Well, guess what, they’re adept at suggesting that lies are truth every day as well.

Anyway, this is my rant for today. Hoping for a program that would show some objective and reasonable research into a number of unsolved issues, I tuned in. I won’t waste my time again. I have seldom seen such a hack attempt at scholarly investigation. If you love made for TV drama, then give it a try. If you want to learn something, look elsewhere.