| Original Message |
Brick Wall (no login)
Posted Jan 20, 2004 8:06 PM
Wow Hep, I'd hate to face your wrath. Remember this category is "politics for dummies", so maybe you'd better lay off a bit.
I, for one, am impressed at OT's candor. One of his greatest strengths, and secret genuis is to admit ignorance and imperfection. He admits he doesn't know about politics, and earnestly seeks more information, that is admirable. There is a certain of amount of confusion surrounding politics, and I suspect, those that would abuse power like it that way.
This confusion, I believe (and from what I've read) stems from how the media molds our democracy. The concept of information being open and free seems natural, and in most cases unquestioned in our society.
However the actual democracy in practice may be one where the public is barred from managing their own affairs. Some of the public even think this is a good thing. Prior to WW I the population of the US was an extremely pacifist population. The Wilson administration established the Creel Commission which succeeded in turning the population into a hysterical, war-mongering population. Similar techniques were used after the war to stimulate hysteria for the Red Scare, which pretty much destroyed unions, influenced thought, and restricted the press.
One must remember that mainstream media is a business. Politics and business meet, and therein lies a form of influence that lies out of the realm of public perception. The support of business community and the media has a heavy influence on public opinion and the politicians.
Certain groups of liberal democratic theorists that were impressed by the successes of the Creel commission and the Red Scare.
Walter Lippman, a media figure, involved at the time in these "propaganda commissions" argued for what he called a "revolution in the art of democracy", which then could be used to "manufacture consent". A phrase that has been popularized by Noam Chomsky.
Manufacturing consent involves creating agreement amongst the public for things that they didn't agree with through the use of propaganda.
For example, now in the US the majority of public (depending on who you believe and when you measure it) were against the Iraq war before it started, against abortion, for socialized medicine, improved funding for schools and medi-care. Yet the policy that has been brought to us does the opposite. How can that be possible? Well media is on board, and the messages that come from the white house are carefully constructed. Those that rule you rely on your ignorance and apathy. I think if you look at some of these previous posts you will see that there is only a cursory understanding of politics. People are divided into competing "teams" which seem unable, and unwilling to listen to each other, rather than earnestly and genuinely seek out the truth. More importantly discuss what is best for the country without reciting jingoistic phrases, and parroting party lines.
Walter Lippman went on to stress. That he thought this manufacturing of consent was a good idea. "The common interests elude public opinion entirely." , those interests should be managed by the elite. A "special class" of "responsible men". This view is not new, it is also a Leninistic view. It could be said to be true of our view of our "democracy" today on some levels.
"This state propaganda when supported by the ruling classes and educated classes, allowing for no deviation can have a big effect.
It was a lesson learned by Hitler and many other, and has been pursued to this day".
One thing that Hilter did (or so I've read), was murder a lot of the minority of vocal intellectuals that opposed him when he took office. He also changed the color the flag to his own party colors.
Why did he change the color of the flag? Well, it was a subtle yet extremely powerful manuever.
Look up the word <a href="http://www.yourdictionary.com/" title="demagoguery">demagoguery</a>.Then consider your own political passions. Are they based on facts or feelings? People yelling at each other for being "idiots". Are they projecting? Or are they truly seeking information for which to make good judgements?
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