When you lie so much, it’s impossible to tell the truth.
Growing up, I had a dad who was a WW2 dad. You know the internet joke that men only have two outcomes in life — they either become obsessed with WW2 or barbequing? My dad was the former.
Back in the day, when the History Channel actually had shows about history and not about Ice Road Truckers, something about WW2 was always on in our house. Over the years, I always wrestled with the thought, “How in the hell did Nazi Germany rise to power?”
Because you know it’s wrong. You’d have to be completely immoral not to know it’s wrong. I always wondered how a whole nation of people could believe a lie. How could they commit such atrocities that the world, nearly 100 years later, still hasn’t recovered from?
As I rack my brain, the seed I keep coming back to is the media and how they used it to brainwash people.
Mainstream Media Can Be Propaganda
Looking back at the distance of about 80 years, it’s clear how the Nazis used the media to brainwash their citizens. Joseph Goebbels, the Reich Minister of Propaganda and Public Enlightenment, was tasked with spreading propaganda to support the party’s ideals. His goal was to control all the media and all the messaging to support the party’s ideals. (And if you disagreed, they had a pretty damn big stick to force you into submission.)
Because when you do that, there’s a truth that rings out: “All you touch and all you see is all your life will ever be,” as my friends in Pink Floyd like to sing.
But what I think is funny is today, we look back towards this time so blind we cannot see. Instead, we cynically say, “Oh, those people in the 1930s and 1940s were so stupid; that could never happen here.”
But when you see the TV in technicolor, you know the truth: propaganda still exists, and it’s more alive than ever. The difference is that today, it has a pretty face.
The Scariest News Clip
For example, have you ever seen the news clip where all the media says the same thing, as if they were a bunch of robots?
Well, if you haven’t, feast your eyes:
JRE: The News Is All The SAME! (youtube.com)
I promise you, this isn’t just one hell of a coincidence.
“Hey honey, can you believe that every news station says the same thing?”
“Small world!”
Instead, when you see the big picture, it tells you one thing—it’s all coordinated, intentional, and somewhere, someone wants us all to hear the same message. Ring any bells?
Perhaps that’s why trust in the mainstream media is at an all-time low.
Trust in Media is Falling
For better or worse, you’ve heard the phrase “fake news,” essentially saying that the news is fake. In reality, most things in life are nuanced — including the news. Some stories are absolutely true, while others are absolutely false or, at worst, intentionally misleading.
Ever seen a clip where your favorite celebrity has an out-of-context quote and catches hell for it? Happens all the time.
And this is not limited to any political party — this is what happens with mainstream media on both sides of the aisle. Don’t worry, I’m an equal opportunity offender.
For example:
Trump’s Charlottesville Comments:
Claim: It was widely reported that Trump called white supremacists “very fine people” after the Charlottesville rally.
Truth: Trump did say there were “very fine people on both sides” in his initial comments, but he also explicitly condemned white supremacists and neo-Nazis in a follow-up statement. The media often quoted the “very fine people” part without the condemnation that followed.
Obama’s Birth Certificate:
Claim: The “birther” conspiracy theory claimed that President Barack Obama was not born in the United States and was therefore ineligible to be president.
Truth: Obama released his long-form birth certificate in 2011, confirming he was born in Hawaii. Multiple investigations and fact-checks verified the authenticity of the birth certificate and debunked the theory, which was primarily promoted to undermine Obama’s legitimacy.
Hunter Biden’s Laptop:
Claim: Hunter Biden’s laptop was Russian disinformation.
Truth: Initially, many sources suggested it could be Russian disinformation. However, subsequent investigations confirmed the authenticity of the laptop and its contents, and it has been used as evidence in legal proceedings.
Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) in Iraq:
Claim: Iraq has weapons of mass destruction.
Truth: The U.S. and its allies invaded Iraq in 2003 based on the belief that Saddam Hussein possessed WMDs. However, no such weapons were found, leading to widespread criticism of the intelligence used to justify the war. Whoops.
And this doesn’t have to be political. Remember the whole Johnny Depp, Amber Heard thing? How he got accused of being a wife-beater, and years later, it came off as false?
Perhaps that’s why trust in media is lower than, as my ex-marine boss used to say, whale shit.
For example:
- Edelman Trust Barometer 2022: According to the Edelman Trust Barometer, only 50% of people globally trust the media, marking a significant drop from previous years. In the United States, trust in the media is even lower, at 39%.
- Gallup Poll 2022: A Gallup poll from 2022 reported that only 36% of Americans have a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in mass media, which includes newspapers, television, and radio. This is a stark decline from the 72% trust level reported in the 1970s.
- Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2023: The Reuters Institute’s 2023 Digital News Report found that only 42% of respondents across 46 countries trust most news most of the time. This represents a drop of two percentage points from the previous year.
- Pew Research Center 2020: According to Pew Research Center, only 18% of U.S. adults have a lot of trust in the information they get from national news organizations, while 31% have some trust, and 50% have little to no trust.
And this is not good.
The Big Problem
You can’t have a functioning democracy if you can’t tell truth from fiction. If you don’t know what’s true, the inverse is true too — you don’t know what’s false.
And this is huge. Perhaps that’s why Nelson Mandela said, “A critical, independent, and investigative press is the lifeblood of any democracy. The press must be free from state interference. It must have the economic strength to stand up to the blandishments of government officials. It must have sufficient independence from vested interests to be bold and inquiring without fear or favour. It must enjoy the protection of the constitution so that it can protect our rights as citizens.”
How could you allow yourself to say otherwise?
I don’t want to compare mainstream media to the Nazis; they’re not, but the one thing that remains true is this: If you allow yourself to hear only one perspective and shut off the other, you only get one side of the story. You only get one side of the truth.
Maybe that’s why Benjamin Franklin once said, “Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom — and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech.”
So if you learn anything from me, let it be this: it’s important to keep an open mind and not let anyone do your thinking for you. Listen to other opinions. Hear different thoughts. See the whole picture.
Most importantly, don’t allow someone to pull the wool over your eyes. Because if you don’t, history has a bad way of repeating itself. And if it doesn’t repeat, it certainly rhymes.
Only seek the truth. It has a way of setting you free.
Please like, comment, share, and tell me what you think! Where do you get your news from?
Totally agree with you.
Thank you so much!
Great post and you use real examples (that hopefully people will not immediately disagree with because they ‘know better’. Scarey times.
Thank you so much! I try to be an equal opportunity offender. It just bothers me that people are more mad at the truth then they are that someone twisted the narrative
What a fantastic post. You ran the gamut. I don’t like Joe Schmogan, but this time I was happy with what he had to say. However, my favorite part of your post was when you called out the blindness of our current age. We are (I believe) watching the rise of Nazis Part II. I only hope they don’t find that Ring of Power they are eagerly searching for daily. Great post!
It’s literally the craziest time to be alive. The silver lining is, hopefully one day I can turn this into my version of a Catch-22 book. Thank you so much for reading!
I still need to read Catch-22. I have no excuse. I love the Alan Arkin movie, so I know I will love the book too. As for reading, no problem. I really look forward to your philosophical postings.
It’s so good! Thanks I appreciate it – I like to write all over the spectrum so sometimes it’s hard to focus on any one thing so it’s nice to hear these are appreciated
I agree, but I also believe that one side of the political spectrum lies more often and more absurdly than the other. They also tend to try and trick people into beliefs using subterfuge and gaslighting. For example, once a racist comment or dog whistle is put out there, walking it back is too late; the damage has been done. I try and look at the big picture. Does this person or policy come from a place of love or hate? Greed or kindness? For example, I cannot and will not support anyone who mocks the disabled, fat-shames, sides with Big Oil against environmentalists, or brags about shooting their dogs.
All very fair points I never realized how messy politics is
Enacted in 1947 and lasting until 1987, the Fairness Doctrine was in place in the United States. The doctrine required licensed radio and television broadcasters to present balanced and unbiased coverage of controversial issues to the American people. This was viewed as “a basic standard of fairness” in the broadcasting and media industries. The broadcasts were mandated to dedicate airtime to both sides of issues, presenting factual information alongside the full picture so that it was neutral. It was dropped in 2011, and the news was permitted to be more for entertainment and biased. Sad. This is what happened. You hit the nail on the head.
I did not know that! Damn I wish they never did that – we need it now more than ever
And today’s propaganda is that Harris has suddenly become presidential material. Disregard the known facts about her!
It’s crazy how they spin up and spin down every candidate – appreciate you reading!
100%
Thank you so much!
Thank you for this post. I think it’s a great reminder on how using our critical thinking skills is a must. We absolutely need to here both sides to the story, otherwise, truth is left out. Your quote from Benjamin Franklin sums it all up. “Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom – and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech.”
Well written
I appreciate you reading! I need to remind myself to follow Ben’s advice
Thanks for sharing. What you said is true. Whenever possible, it’s best that we do our own research and actually watch speeches and/or videos in their entirety instead of snippets here and there. Plus, think for ourselves. With that being said, I believe what’s most important for history not to repeat itself, is to actively participate in electing officials at the local and state level. We can’t continue to wait until presidential elections to decide who will best represent us. If we don’t address issues at the lowest levels, we will find ourselves here again.😕🙏🏽
Totally agree with you Shaun, it starts local and small and its wise to see the whole source
Everything you said was spot on!
My dad was also the dad who watched WW2 shows on the History channel. I liked it when it wasn’t all Gold diggers and Ice Road truckers, and duck dynasty crap. Although, I do enjoy The Curse of Oak Island.
Thank you! Hahah I agree, I like the curse of oak island too -I feel like any show with the word, curse in it I’ll be a fan of thank you for reading
A free press (and a functioning press) is both a feature and an asset of democracy. I’m glad to be reminded of that through your post. I spend too much time on the inside discounting the media with the quality and quantity of what is reported. Then there is the issue of extremes. I get my news from what I consider a blend of moderate sources and technical media (e-mail, online, TV, in print, listening). Best I can do. Thank you!
Wise to get your news from a blend of sources that’s Forsure’ thank you for reading
Nice
Absolutely! Have you heard of the Smith-Munndt Modernization Act of 2012? As of that time, our country’s leaders and the media are legally permitted to propagandize American citizens on American soil. We can’t trust anything. With the development of AI, we can’t even trust what we see with our own two eyes anymore.
It’s not just the media, the media isn’t run by trees; it’s a human problem.
You’re right about it starting “local and small”; with everyday situations where individuals distort the truth for personal gain or to avoid consequences. This behavior can have a ripple effect, leading to more significant issues in various contexts, including the workplace, communities, and even globally.
E.g. children misrepresenting the truth to avoid punishment or colleagues denying their words, shows how easily misinformation/falsehood can spread. The “recap email” in the latter situation is a great way to ensure clarity and accountability in professional settings (I’ve worked with a few people who hate those🙄)
Your statement “you’d have to be immoral not to know it’s wrong” highlights the importance of personal responsibility and ethics in combating misinformation and lies.
Your post reminds me of the quote “The truth is rarely pure and never simple” by Oscar Wilde.
We should approach information with a critical eye, considering multiple sources and perspectives to form a well-rounded understanding of the truth.
BTW, didn’t mean for my comment to be this long -but happy reading 😂
Totally agree and loved reading your comment – you’re right it starts with the people
What an enjoyable read. When the media today is full of biases, it’s refreshing to see someone have a nuanced argument instead of going to extremes.
Good piece, but straight up propaganda packaged as news is not as bipartisan as it might seem. That collage of talking heads Rogan showed are all reading a script provided by Sinclair Media, an ultra-right wing outfit. They send scripted stories to many local stations all over the country. Trusted local news reporters read this crap to their trusting local audiences in markets large and small all over the country.
Both major parties are filled with narcissists and other major league assholes, no question about it. They don’t spread baseless propaganda with equal ferocity and message discipline though.
The rightwing has an entire media ecosystem that infects all corporate news coverage. A network or paper can’t cover a story “objectively” without being accused, by the right, of “anti-conservative bias” so we get this misleading “both sides do it” narrative in every case, even when only one side has fake electors, assaults Capitol police, colludes with foreign intelligence services, refuses to allow the peaceful transfer of power, has belief in the Big Lie (2020 election rigged and stolen) as a loyalty test for party membership, etc.
Plus, corporations by their nature (and by Supreme Court ruling) are concerned only with the bottom line. As “persons” they are greedy, psychopathic parasites who will do anything for a little more profit. And thanks to media consolidation, another anti-regulation right wing project, a corporate group like Sinclair, or an individual like Rupert Murdoch, wield tremendous power to influence public opinion.
Keep up the good work, brother. Your overall point is an important one, though the devil, as always (and as you suggest) is in the details.
Wow, they took away my paragraph breaks. Makes this look like the rave of a madman!
Hahaha I’m here for it – thanks so much for the thoughtful response! I learned something
Funny, the original reply doesn’t seem to have made the comments, making my follow up comment about how oddly the original was formatted seem even more bizarre. Context is everything, man.
Just got it posted! I liked your comment too
Great post. Glad I read it. Found myself looking up ‘blandishment’, and I’m always keen to tool down a word I’ve heard, but am shakey on. Here’s a blandishment: it’s nice how you’re fond of your father, though you’re so different from him. 😉 But about the main thrust… I happened upon a piece of writing about lying once, which went into how what seem to be transparent lies and propaganda can actually be signals more meaningful to a certain audience; it said that while some who hear such talk will cry out that the liars are dimwits if they think they’re believed, others are receiving what is to them needful information kind of coded into the message. It wasn’t a sensationalist piece I read, and I found it thought-provoking. Anyways, cheers on a swell post. Sincerely.
Wow, they took away my paragraph breaks. Makes this look like the rave of a madman!
I always ask people to provide their sources when they make great, sweeping claims, politically or otherwise. What’s sad is that most people don’t HAVE sources to cite, just hearsay. It doesn’t help that mainstream media is so fucking unreliable when it comes to truthful reporting.
It is, I wish it was better!
Make decisions based only on your own evidence, not the hearsay of the media and others.