If Only We Knew

If Only We Knew" by Peter S. Baron is a compelling exploration into the shadowy influence of America's ultra-wealthy elite. Baron reveals how this powerful group manipulates media and politics to spread misinformation, shaping public opinion to their advantage. This deception, he argues, not only exacerbates the risks posed by social issues but also strategically benefits the elite, keeping them in power through the perpetuation of public ignorance.

Why would the elite amplify societal risks? Baron's insightful analysis shows that such tactics are not random but are carefully designed to maintain the elite's socioeconomic dominance. The book underscores the idea that ignorance is a tool used by the elite to control and exploit the masses.

However, Baron doesn't leave the reader in despair. Baron ingeniously flips the concept of ignorance, illustrating how our enlightenment about the elite's manipulations can be the catalyst for creating a more equitable and informed society. He presents a visionary solution, urging a national shift towards values of forgiveness, compassion, and selflessness. He advocates for 'infinite-thinking' – a forward-looking approach that considers long-term societal well-being over short-term gains. "If Only We Knew" is more than a critique; it's a blueprint for building a more equitable and thriving society, making it a must-read for those who aspire to understand and change the world in the 21st century.

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Biography

Peter S. Baron

Peter S. Baron, now a first-year student at Georgetown University Law Center, has consistently showcased a profound dedication to exploring and addressing systemic injustices. His academic journey, marked by exceptional achievement as the valedictorian of his class at Fairfield University, was characterized by a relentless pursuit of understanding complex societal issues. At Fairfield, Peter crafted a unique academic path by designing his own major through the Individually Designed Major program. His major revolved around a pivotal question: are socioeconomic disparities an inherent outcome of human evolution or a modifiable result of societal development, and is it possible and beneficial for society to endeavor towards their elimination?

His commitment to this inquiry culminated in his thesis, titled "The Possibility of Pala: A Query into the Inevitability of Inequity and Human Suffering." This work is a testament to Peter's deep engagement with critical social questions and his belief in the potential for transformative change. Through his thesis, he explored the dynamics of socioeconomic inequalities and human suffering, challenging conventional perspectives and proposing innovative approaches to these persistent global issues.

Peter's journey at Georgetown Law is not merely an extension of his academic endeavors but a determined stride towards effecting systemic transformation and achieving justice. His background and achievements reflect his unwavering commitment to legal education as a powerful tool for societal change, embodying his belief in the potential of law to foster equality, fairness, and empathy in society.

Why I Wrote If Only We Knew

Through my courses at Fairfield University, I became aware of the fact that a bevy of social problems are worsening. What struck me as odd was that multitudes of evidenced backed solutions to each of these worsening crises had been developed by experts in many different academic fields. These solutions weren’t even difficult to discover; they could be found in easy-to-access forums, such as Ted Talks. Yet, practically none of them were being implemented. I asked myself, how can there be so many solutions available but so little action taken? Intrigued, I embarked on a more extensive research journey. What I found led me to the conclusion that serves as the thesis of this book: the creation, preservation, and manipulation of public ignorance creates and amplifies every risk facing society.

For a few years I have been hearing leaders discuss the importance of learning across generations. I have heard the insistence of older generations that they are ready to listen to young people speak. I wrote this book to be a voice for my generation. As a Generation Z author, I bring a new perspective on social issues. The social science genre is lacking representation from my generation, and I feel that readers are more than ready to listen to our viewpoints on social and political issues. This book provides readers with a new theoretical framework within which they can challenge societal power structures.

Praise For If Only We Knew

"In If Only We Knew, Peter S. Baron’s passionate and informed voice speaks to the foundational ignorance that underlies America’s persistent stagnation amid climate change, racism, mass incarceration, gun violence, health problems, poverty and privilege. His call for a more compassionate and loving culture amid our varied everyday violence gives me hope. While the issues he addresses in If Only We Knew are not new, Baron's voice is, and remarkably, it’s a voice that's 'just' twenty years old as the book is released."

Reggie Marra

Cofounder, Fully Human at Work, and author, Enough with the Talking Points, Killing America, and (forthcoming in 2022) Healing America’s Narratives: Owning and Integrating Our National Shadow.

"If Only We Knew interrogates and expands the concept of risk from German sociologist Ulrich Beck’s work where "risk" is theorized as a socially-constructed response to a particular danger or hazard. Risks, although technical in nature, are evaluated and decided upon by groups of laypeople. Human societies orient around risks and hazards as a social contract that exists alongside the technical or scientific information. We decide together how "risky" any given hazard is and what mitigating factors we are willing to engage in to reduce exposure to said hazard. In this way, all risks and hazards are socially weighed and measured, for better and for worse. Beck's work on risk focuses mainly on environmental and public health hazards like climate change and nuclear energy, but Peter Baron’s If Only We Knew extends this conversation to include information itself -- or more to the point -- misinformation. If Only We Knew explores how the majority of our most pressing collective risks (racism, climate change, poverty, etc.) can all be traced to a common rhetorical problem: ignorance."

Dr. Tiffany Wilgar

Professor of Rhetoric and Composition Fairfield University

"Baron’s well written exploration for what is just leaves us all thinking about one critically significant question: have we all been manipulated to contribute to society’s flaws or inspired to reengineer old standards and modernize systems that give rise to humanity and individual capacity in today’s age of personalization?"

Glenn Llopis

President of GLLG, Founder of the Age of Personalization Movement and Leadership Strategy Contributor to Forbes

"The ubiquitous waves of post-theatric disinformation that now permeate our 21st century lives undermine human connectivity and resilience in individuals and communities, local and global. Communication technology that was genuinely unthinkable only a few years ago, now connects our species in revolutionary ways that our human neurology simply can’t keep up with. After all, for our 7 million years as upright walking apes, we all lived within small bands until that started to change some 12,000 years ago with the origins of agriculture, surplus and sedentary living. In other words, we’re simply not wired to process all the social relations and endless stimuli that now influence our conscious and subconscious understanding of what it means to be human."

Scott M. Lacy, Ph.D.

Associate Dean, College of Arts & Sciences Faculty Chair, Community Engaged Research Fairfield University

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