I've been observing, analyzing and studying corporate media propaganda in the U.S. for years now. If one were to summarize its workings, one could say that because of a confluence of interests shared by the ruling elite, they use their control and ownership of it as a medium through which they can permeate the entire media landscape with a narrative designed to advance their interests. And those interests are mainly driven by unquenchable greed, a sense of entitlement, and predatory tendencies.
The reason this works so perfectly is because of a scientific (historical, psychological, and cultural) understanding by the ruling elite that the masses (the populace, the citizenry) can be easily manipulated by exposing them to repetitive messaging designed to propagate a narrative beneficial to their interests.
Here's what one of the most vile characters in history had to say about it: "Repeat your message constantly: "[Propagandist technique] must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over. Here, as so often in this world, persistence is the first and most important requirement for success."
This point is very important; it goes straight to the heart of the matter, when it comes to the messaging to which Americans are being exposed every day through the mass media conglomerates. The frame of reference is very narrow (the framing).
This explains the reason you see all major news media outlets covering the same stories, the same scandals, as if they've gotten their talking point from a central mass media headquarters. In a way, they have...
This understanding by the ruling elite is why they put so much effort in, number one, forming mass media conglomerates, number two, setting up elaborate propaganda networks, and number three, buying off politicians (of both major political parties).
This stuff is very powerful, almost beyond our grasp. That's why you see a large segment of liberals, intellectuals and progressives falling into the trap of "dancing to the tune" of the propagandists--talking and focusing on issues that have already been framed by them.
This pretty much explains the situation we've been experiencing during the last couple of weeks where an inordinate amount of coverage has been given to issues that have been framed in a certain way... And by falling into the trap of accepting the mainstream media (i.e., corporate propaganda) framing, we play right into their hands, as usual.
Any careful observer could quickly determine that on the Left (i.e., sane, normal, intelligent, progressive, just, compassionate) we are always reacting, explaining, denouncing, and complaining. But there is little proactive action, planning, strategizing, anticipating, propagandizing.
Why is that? To me, that's the question I ask every day. And I ask it because I want to make a point that we are doing so as a choice (because we have been conditioned). We also have the choice to do otherwise; to become highly organized and cohesive and strategic.
During the last few months I've written about the importance of engaging in a full-fledged counter-propaganda campaign at every level. I see this as an incredibly neglected but essential aspect of effectively battling the fascist billionaires and their groups.
That's why I was pleasantly surprised when I saw a full page advertisement in the Sunday, May 12th, 2013 edition of the San Francisco Chronicle by AVAAZ.org (The World In Action). Granted, the ad it's still in reaction to something, but the fact that I saw a full page social justice ad in a major U.S. newspaper was a hopeful sign.
Here's the ad:
Again, this is very encouraging... I couldn't believe I saw that. There I was doing my typical reading of the paper with my wife, at breakfast, and when I saw this ad I almost spilled my coffee!
Why is that? Well, back on January 18th, 2013 I wrote a diary titled "A Full Page Ad in The New York Times Every Sunday."
Here's a quote from that diary:
What would I give to one day turn the TV on in the SF Bay Area and watch a very high quality and professionally produced 30-second ad for an event like this? Or buying The New York Times, or the San Francisco Chronicle and see a very creative, colorful one-page ad? And then start seeing these types of ad campaigns proliferate across the country on a regular basis? And of course, let's not forget social network ad campaigns, and SEO online campaigns, etc., all funded through the crowd funding method.
And alas, that day came to be on May 12th!
Here's my main point. We need to understand how corporate propaganda works; we need to accept the fact that the repetition of images, printed words, and the spoken word have an incredibly powerful effect on the human psyche... We can't even begin to counteract the proto-fascist movement in this country until we fully engage in a counter-propaganda campaign. One that is proactive, focused, well-planned, multifaceted, and relentless.
If it was up to me, I would focus this "advertising agency of the people" on these areas: Exposing corporate propaganda; promoting collective bargaining across the country; promoting employee-owned businesses as well as housing and food collectives; demanding accountability from war crimes and Wall Street criminals.
I would place full-page ads in major newspapers across the country; I would place TV and radio ads; I would use social media (including paid ads); I would set up SEO advertising campaigns; and flyers, and posters, and billboards.
And I would do this constantly, nonstop, with increased frequency...
And I would find the way to flood Democracy Now!, and truthdig.com, and alternet.org (and similar real news organizations) with crowdfunding money.
Here's another wish, or case study... By now many readers are familiar with Senator Elizabeth Warren's letter to the Federal Reserve, DOJ, and the SEC, where she asks a very simple question:
"Have you conducted any internal research or analysis on trade-offs to the public between settling an enforcement action without admission of guilt and going forward with litigation as necessary to obtain such admission and, if so, can you provide that analysis to my office?"
Of course, this follows the
outrageous statement by Attorney General Eric Holder where he basically admits that we do indeed live under a two-tiered justice system:
“I am concerned that the size of some of these institutions becomes so large that it does become difficult to prosecute them,” Holder told the Senate Judiciary Committee. “When we are hit with indications that if you do prosecute, if you do bring a criminal charge it will have a negative impact on the national economy, perhaps world economy, that is a function of the fact that some of these institutions have become too large. It has an inhibiting impact on our ability to bring resolutions that I think would be more appropriate. That is something that you all need to consider.”
So imagine if we (the people) followed up by placing full page advertisements in major newspapers (including the
New York Times, the
Washington Post, the
Los Angeles Times, the
Dallas Morning News, the
San Francisco Chronicle) asking the same questions, to the same people (and government agencies) in support of Senator Elizabeth Warren?
You see? That's what I'm talking about! Being proactive; being strategic; being in-your-face WTF-your-going-to-do-about-it; being militant!
Here's a little something I put together a while back... It's kind of dated, but I could do one pertaining to Senator's Warren letter:
I know, I know; I've heard it a million times... The fascist right-wing billionaires are able to do with because they have money.
Yes, first of all, they have money because we the people voluntarily feed the predatory system; they're using our money against us.
How to fund a campaign like this? That's easy (in theory)... Crowdfund it. Now, I encourage any reader to go out there and set up a GoFundMe campaign to form a open-source people's advertising agency.
If nothing else, I just want to encourage people to think about the real possibilities, about thinking outside the box, about being proactive, and strategic. I leave you with the final quote...
Strength lies in organization, in careful long-range planning and implementation, in consistency of action over an indefinite period of years, in the scale of financing available only through joint effort, and in the political power available only through united action and national organizations.
- Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Lewis F. Powell
Note: I use this quote often to emphasize the importance of organization and strategic thinking, even thought it actually
represents the organizing theme of the fascistic "business activist movement" that helped bring about the current situation.
Each blue dot on the map below represents a member of a growing nation-wide network of social justice and anti-corruption activists committed to finding the best way forward. Join us in the effort!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ray Pensador |
Email List |
Twitter |
Facebook