With the technology available today there is no excuse for US citizens to remain unaware of what is happening in the world. However, sole reliance on traditional media (television, radio, and print) to shape our views will leave us uninformed. Perhaps we haven’t been aware of the increasing control of these media outlets and the consolidation of this control into fewer and fewer corporate entities Or, perhaps we are aware—but don’t understand what it means!.
Corporate consolidation of media leads to a narrowing of sources and to a homogenization of information to that which is most salable. Salability means acceptability by the lowest common denominator. Inherent value of information is not relevant—only that which is most acceptable by the majority is relevant. The fact that the media outlets we once relied upon for information have—and for good reason—become propaganda mills does not seem to occur to many of us. The ‘good reason’ can be summed up in one word: PROFITS. The media industry consolidation, as with the consolidation of other industries is all about financial profit. And this valuing of profit over quality has made for the lack of information available and the resultant dumbing-down of the public.
Then, who benefits from an ill-informed public? Obviously the investors in the consolidated media industry benefit, as do the advertisers who have a captive audience for their products. But the most profitable industry of all is that which is guaranteed huge profits because it has no competition and only one customer. And it’s ‘must have’ product is meant to be continually replaced by ‘newer’, ‘better’ and ‘more advanced’. The military/industrial complex that feeds on war with guaranteed payment from the government via its citizens is the most profitable business of all. And it’s all made possible because citizens are denied information.
A society that is denied access to information that contradicts the only information it is given is a society of slaves. The US is not there yet…but is headed toward that state. The important message here is that we only succumb to the propaganda (for instance, that Russia and Putin are evil and must be destroyed)…we only succumb to that message because that is all we are told. If that message is all we know, then that will be what we believe and act upon. But if we know enough history or have other sources of information that contradict that message, then we can freely decide in what story we want to believe. We can recover our freedom through having a knowledge of history and of obtaining information from reliable sources.
To have a knowledge of history requires time spent reading and time spent to access current information from trustworthy sources. The internet is not yet totally controlled by either government or corporate entities or institutions. Though the influence of powerful social media and anonymous ‘fact’ checkers are attempting to control information on the internet, it is still possible to get a realistic view of what is happening in the world and why it’s happening. If you haven’t heard of BRICS or SCO you’re not adequately informed. These two organizations will change the balance of power in the world. Most Westerners haven’t a clue. “They cannot accept the fact that the modern world is no longer West-centered. And it will never be again,” —Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov
Reliable trustworthy sources, in my estimation, are those INDIVIDUALS who are experienced with many years of successful operation in their profession having achieved a trustworthy reputation with their peers. I speak of, for instance: Eva Bartlett in the field of independent journalism, Larry Johnson and Andrei Martyanov in the field of military analysis, Michael Hudson in the field of economics, John Mearscheimer in the field of history and international relations, CHD.TV in the field of medical information in the US and worldwide. These sources can be accessed easily on the internet.
It is also of value to go to non-western news sites such as RT.com or Al Jazeera. Why non-western websites? The retired US generals that appear on western tv news programs with their so-called military analysis are always paid lobbyists, directly or indirectly, for US arms manufacturers. They are paid performers—paid to deceive. As are the interviewers. The rest of the TV fare is entertainment and commercials. As with any effort to verify, simply ‘follow the money’.
In short, the West has unlimited capitalism which has made information another commodity owned and controlled by the highest bidder for profit.
For people living in the US the internet appears to be the sole source (other than books) of accessible information. Accessing information does take time—but it is key to understanding. I’d rather spend the time to make an informed choice than to let someone or something decide for me.
“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.”—Sun Tzu. Unfortunately we in the West know neither the enemy nor ourselves. I think that cartoonist Walt Kelly’s Pogo was spot on when he said; “We have met the enemy, and he is us!”