« Why I Don’t Follow the Mainstream Media - Summary (1 of 5) | Home | Why I Don’t Follow the Mainstream Media - I Wish to Avoid Being Brainwashed (3 of 5) »
Why I Don’t Follow the Mainstream Media - It Presents Only a Small and Biased View of Reality (2 of 5)
By Life-Musings.com | February 15, 2009
Table of contents for Why I Don't Follow The Mainstream Media
- Why I Don’t Follow the Mainstream Media - Summary (1 of 5)
- Why I Don’t Follow the Mainstream Media - It Presents Only a Small and Biased View of Reality (2 of 5)
- Why I Don’t Follow the Mainstream Media - I Wish to Avoid Being Brainwashed (3 of 5)
- Why I Don’t Follow the Mainstream Media - I Wish to Avoid this Fear-Mongering Machine (4 of 5)
- Why I Don’t Follow the Mainstream Media - I Do Not Wish to Fill My Life With Bad News (5 of 5)
Over seven years ago, I was fixated on CNN for 8 to 12 hours every day, allowing the American media to brainwash me on how evil the Taliban regime was, and convincing me, I’m sure among millions of others, to give our mandate for the American military to walk into the country by force and wipe out those evil-doers.
But, in truth, what makes me think that many of the supposed naughty deeds taking place in Afghanistan is not also taking place in many other (unnamed) countries? They most certainly are. But as long as a country is a friend, and especially of economic use, they are okay.
My point is simple. The media tells us what some people want us all to “know”.
Trust me. Whatever it reports, be it the money crisis, melamine, the same usually applies, and there are vested interests or hidden agendas.
I read a good article recently – unfortunately I’m not sure if I saved it – which talked a little about how the media only produces stories which sell. But, of course. The media’s role is not to educate or to please, and most certainly not to make a better world; the media’s main aim is to bring in the dough. (they need to please politicians, too, but that is mainly so they can stay in business and continue making money)
When a terrorist bomb goes off, how many people does it kill? Ten? Twenty? 500? In the case of September 11, thousands. Is that a lot, or is that very few? Don’t get me wrong. Every life matters, and every life ended prematurely is a travesty.
But the article reminds us that, every few minutes or every few seconds (I cannot recall exactly), someone in the world dies of hunger. That is hell of a lot more people than terrorism ever touches.
Besides world hunger, how many children are dying of AIDS in Africa daily? How many girls in third world countries and Eastern Europe are kidnapped and trafficked as sex slaves each year? We are talking millions here. People who read UN reports, or government officials or citizen volunteers who deal with such issues will know these realities.
Going further, how about the dangers of dental mercury, the number of people killed by pharmaceutical drugs and surgical procedures in hospitals every year, the presence of melamine even in the American food supply, the impending inflation that is going to result from the pumping of money into the supply system – are these issues reported enough, or at all?
But yet these issues, some of which are the ones which REALLY need the world’s attention, are not trumpeted with the deafening regularity of some other less significant issues. Is the mainstream media not interested?
Why?
Because stories which tell of world hunger and people dying from lack of food play with the conscience and guilt of people, and immediately scare them away; people shut off from such stories. We just don’t want to hear about how we are directly or indirectly responsible for the suffering and death of our fellow men.
On the other hand, when the media reports on war, on terrorism, it invokes emotions of anger, of finger-pointing, of “let’s take action and wipe those bastards out!” And people like that. People like to know that someone else is responsible, someone who can be pursued and taken to task, someone but them.
This line of reasoning did not come from me. Instead, it was revealed in an interview with a top media official, someone from Reuters or CNN or one of those big guns – this was mentioned in the article I mentioned above, which I am unable to locate. It does make sense; who wants to write stories which nobody wants to read or watch, no matter how true they are?
Anyway, quite honestly, how do we even know what is written in history books, shown on television news, published in newspapers, is true at all, and not fictitiously made up? Between the US president, the most wanted terrorist in the world, Indiana Jones, Superman, and He-Man, how do I know which are really real and which are made-up characters? I’ve never met any of them, nor seem them in the flesh.
Between Antarctica and Narnia, how do I know for sure which paradise is the real deal? I’ve never been to either location.
Between the fall of the Berlin Wall, the World Wars, other major historical events, and events portrayed in movies like Lord of the Rings, James Bond, Austin Powers and the like, how would I really know what took place and what didn’t? I was never there.
My point is, that it would be rather simple for our minds to be manipulated by what we read about or watch. All too simple, really.
Of course, it all seems rather obvious, almost “duh”. But think about it. Is it really?
Bottom Line
I am not saying don’t watch the news or read the papers. That’s personal choice.
What I am saying is, when we do follow the mainstream media, we must realize that whatever we are taking in is probably only 0.1% (or even less) of the entire big picture. Basically, a puny part.
We must also realize that the people most in need of help (and our prayers) are probably not anywhere near appearing in the news.
The media is writing stories to sell.
Again, I will have to repeat that the mainstream media has certain agendas, and that a truly independent thinking individual will know to take it with not so much a pinch of salt, but a whole barrel of it.
If we really want the latest NEWS on various subjects, if we really want to know what is “really happening in the world”, we need to seek them out. There is a lot – and I mean A LOT - out there which is conveniently hidden or even blocked from public view. We need to make the effort to look for them from other sources. But when you find them, well, you’ll be surprised at your discoveries.
Bottom line? The news only carries a puny part of what is “really happening in the world”. What is really happening is out there, and we need to seek them out, if so we wish.
But in my view, there is little point in trying to find out everything about everything. To me, the most important things which are happening in the world are the things which are happening immediately around me. It’s not self-absorption; it’s reality.
(A side thought – even Jesus Christ, in his short thirty odd years, only “knew” and interacted with those around him, did he not? I’m not sure if he knew what was happening in India, China, or the American continent when he was physically around. I don’t think he really wanted or needed to know. Anyway, it’s a side point.)
Popularity: 56% [?]
Topics: All Life Musings, Everyday Life, Independent Thinking, Modern Life, The Human Psyche |