Those Who "Give Up"

[Serge_Tomiko]

Re: Those Who "Give Up"

What does this mean? I looked up Goebbels http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Goebbels but still don't get the allusion. Can somebody explain how/why Oprah might be the 20th Century Goebbels? Sorry to be dense...

The Third Reich government and Joseph Goebbels in particular were completely honest regarding the power of propaganda and mass media, such that power was to be strictly controlled.

In the United States, we believe we are "free" despite the fact the average American views the world completely through the lens of the mass media machine that is controlled by a handful of corporations. Our young children learn to be materialistic whores by watching the Disney Channel. Our young adults mimic the debauchery and depravity enshrined on MTV. Our idle middle class thrives on the drama of Oprah and her ilk. Having no means to contribute to our culture and decaying on the cultural nihilism of our age, vicarious living is but all to which they can aspire.

To those who recognize the power of propaganda, throwing out the name of Goebbels is a common slight in the same vein Nazi is thrown around as a common pejorative.

The proper way to view this matter is simple. Those in power have the means to convince the masses to do their bidding. Whether it is a feudal society with the Church, historical abberations such as the 12-year Third Reich, or modern plutocratic "democracies", it is all the same.

[MarkL]

Re: Those Who "Give Up"

Thanks for the help. I'll mentally keep this one on file.

Personally I think America has nobody to blame but themselves. I am an America and spend roughly half of my news-absorbing time on the websites or channels of foreign country's. I watch Mosaic which gives me a good view of the Middle East, and I read the online of Pravda, Haaretz, Japan Times, Pakistan News Service, and Thomas Freidman regularly. The nice thing about reviewing all of these sources is that you get all different angles on the same story and become enabled to see some shape of the underlying truth. But it takes effort, and as you say, most American's choose to mindlessly watch the 2-3 channels that are, for all practical purposes, spewing out identical perspectives.

[cjppjc]

Re: Those Who "Give Up"

Thanks for the help. I'll mentally keep this one on file.

Personally I think America has nobody to blame but themselves. I am an America and spend roughly half of my news-absorbing time on the websites or channels of foreign country's. I watch Mosaic which gives me a good view of the Middle East, and I read the online of Pravda, Haaretz, Japan Times, Pakistan News Service, and Thomas Freidman regularly. The nice thing about reviewing all of these sources is that you get all different angles on the same story and become enabled to see some shape of the underlying truth. But it takes effort, and as you say, most American's choose to mindlessly watch the 2-3 channels that are, for all practical purposes, spewing out identical perspectives.

Are you married?
Any kids?
Just asking.