Dan J. Harkey

Master Educator | Business & Finance Consultant | Mentor

Opinion & Prospective

Dan’s Take on How Things Really Work. Truth, Consequences, and Comedy—Occasionally in that Order.

If you’ve ever felt like the official story doesn’t match what you’re seeing, you’re not alone.

Policies, markets, and institutions don’t just “happen”—they produce consequences. Some intended. Many not.

I break down what’s going on (and what’s really driving it) with sharp observations, plain-English logic, and a bit of humor- sifting through the lies, deceptions, and illusions to find the truth.

Search Results

The Hard Workers in America:

The Overlooked Powerhouses of Modern Society

California-CEQA, Housing Accountability, and State Overrides Under AB-130 and SB-131

On 30 June 2025, Governor Newsom signed AB 130 and SB 131, two major budget trailer bills that together represent the most substantial CEQA reform in over 50 years.

How Repetition Aids Skill Learning:

The list of skills that are improved by repeated practice is long. Bicycles, motorcycles, tennis, shooting guns, riding horses, playing chess, reading, vocabulary, speaking before the public, giving seminars, or teaching a class. The list is almost endless.

Repeated Falsehoods: Can Surface as the Truth

Repeated Falsehoods: Can Surface as the Truth I. Everyday Myths (Cultural Misconceptions) Research shows the illusory truth effect helps explain why popular myths endure for decades. Examples of categories include: • Brain usage myths (e.g., the false belief that humans use only a small fraction of their brain). • Animal behavior myths (e.g., misconceptions about animal memory or behavior). [ • Common health myths are repeatedly circulated socially (e.g., false general claims about vitamins or everyday remedies). These myths persist because repetition increases familiarity, and familiarity is perceived as truth, thereby demonstrating how the illusory truth effect operates across diverse categories of falsehood. II. Neutral Trivia Used in Controlled Experiments These are nonpolitical, innocuous statements that researchers include in studies to measure how repetition affects truth judgments. The seminal 1977 study used repeated trivia items such as: • Historical claims about events or dates • Geographic statements • Scientific “factoid style” statements Researchers found confidence in the truth of repeated items increased—from an average belief rating of 4.2 → 4.6 → 4.7 across three sessions—even though some repeated items were false. These trivia statements underpin modern research on the illusory truth effect. III. Advertising and Marketing Repetition Repeated commercial messaging can cause consumers to believe claims that lack evidence. Examples of categories include: • Repeated slogans implying exaggerated product capabilities • Health-related product claims that become believable through sheer familiarity • Brand myths reinforced by constant exposure Advertising is explicitly identified as a primary domain where the illusory truth effect influences belief formation. IV. Social Media Misinformation Patterns These are categories of falsehoods spread widely online—not the content of the misinformation itself. Repeated exposure to online misinformation leads users to internalize falsehoods and even form false memories. Categories include: • Repeated misleading claims about public events • Repeated conspiracy narratives across multiple accounts • Fabricated headlines circulated by different pages • Misattributed quotes reposted widely Britannica explains that repeated exposure to such false information leads users to remember the core message, but forget the context (including warnings or debunkings). [ V. Political Propaganda Techniques Psychology Today documents that the illusory truth effect is actively exploited in political communication. Categories include: • Repeated ideological slogans • Repeated attacks on opponents • Narratives circulated consistently across aligned media • Claims repeated by multiple partisan voices to create perceived consensus These patterns use familiarity to manipulate belief. VI. Fake News Patterns Britannica notes that repeated exposure to fake news stories leads audiences to accept misinformation, especially when paired with misattribution (forgetting the false origin). [newsmax.com] Standard fake news formats include: • Sensational headlines repeated across social platforms • Fabricated “breaking news” alerts are shared frequently • False cause-and-effect claims repeated in many posts Here, repetition, not evidence, drives perceived truth. Summary Table Category Type of Falsehood Why It Works Source Cultural Myths Brain usage myths, animal myths, health myths Familiarity → fluency → belief [communistusa.org], [en.wikipedia.org] Experimental Trivia Neutral statements repeated in studies Repetition increases confidence ratings [victimsofc...munism.org]

How Algorithms Amplify the Illusory Truth Effect:

Computer-generated algorithms supercharge the illusory truth effect because they are designed to maximize repetition, familiarity, and engagement—psychological conditions that social media algorithms specifically exploit to make false information feel true.

The Illusory Truth Effect: Why Repetition Feels Like Reality

The illusory truth effect is a well-documented cognitive bias in which repeated statements—true or false—start to feel true simply because we’ve heard them before.

Johnny Mercer, a lyricist, songwriter, and singer, was active from the 1950s to the 1970s.

The Poet Laureate of American Song

Sarah Vaughn, Jazz Singer, from the early 1940s to 1989.

The Velvet Voice of Jazz

Nancy Wilson, Jazz from the mid-1950s until retirement in the early 2010’s.

A Distinctive Voice in American Jazz

John Williams, Composer, Conductor, Pianist, and Trombonist.

Known as the greatest film composer of all time. Active from 1952 to the present.

Elmer Bernstein, a Composer and Conductor

The Composer Who Scored the Sound of American Cinema. He is known for his 150 original film scores and 80 television productions. There are dozens of great music selections.

Miles Davis, Trumpeter, Band Leader, and Composer, 5 decades of Influential Jazz Music.

The Relentless Innovator of Modern Jazz

Buddy Rich, World Famous Dummer and Band leader

The Relentless Genius of Jazz Drumming. He began his influential career in 1937 playing with Tommy Dorsey, Count Basie, and Harry James, shaping jazz History from a young age. Formed the Buddy Rich Bank in 1967.

Jo Stafford, a traditional pop singer and occasional actress, had a career spanning 5 decades from the 1930s.

The Pure Voice of American Popular Song

Why You Should Visit DanHarkey.com: Sharpen Your Tools

And Why You Should Refer Your Friends, Associates, And Family

When Leaders are Forced To Run Against the Wind: Quick Read

Leadership Response When Conditions Turn Adverse

Running Against the Wind: Resilience in Action-Quick Read

The Discipline of Forward Motion in Adverse Conditions

Thoreau and Emerson: A Comparative Analysis

Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau are central figures in American Transcendentalism, shaping its philosophy and literature and thereby enhancing understanding of their lasting influence on American thought and literature.

Henry David Thoreau and the Moral Force of Civil Disobedience- Quick Read

Henry David Thoreau’s 1849 essay Civil Disobedience remains one of the most influential statements on the duty of the individual to resist unjust government. Written after Thoreau spent a night in jail for refusing to pay a poll tax that supported slavery and the Mexican-American War, the essay argues that conscience must take precedence over Law whenever the two come into conflict.

Ralph Waldo Emerson: The Voice of American Individualism

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) remains one of America’s most influential philosophers, celebrated for his emphasis on self-trust and individuality, which can inspire audiences to believe in their inner strength and potential. As the leading voice of the Transcendentalist movement, he urged Americans to look inward for truth and outward to nature for inspiration.