Illusion of the media debate
“One of the ways you control the way people think is by creating the illusion that there is a debate going on. But make sure that the debate stays within very narrow margins. Namely, you have to make sure that both sides in the debate accept certain assumptions, and those assumptions turn out to be the propaganda system. As long as everyone- accepts the propaganda system then you can have a debate”
2.5
Television, baby food for the mind
If, you do not accept the premise Chomsky mentions above. That is; If you try to explain or make clear what is going on, you will be made to look stupid. There is no space or time, in main-stream media, (unless it concerns business) for explanation; only short sound bites, qualified expert opinion, and jingoism; and of course there is sport and tragedy, which has no immediate relevance; other than it’s not happening to you, feel lucky
Television, is occupied by people who can supply and control such things within the cycle highlighted above: off the top of their head. That is why you see the same people on TV; who can play to the cameras and read the script; as for the experts, it is worth remembering, most politicians are ex-lawyers; they know how to be non-committal and stay out of trouble by the manipulation of facts, words, and the law. This is also why, on the rare occasions when we see on TV, an event: group; organization; person; or program; that inspires us, it proves the rule; that television is not the place to seek inspiration. That place usually lies somewhere beyond our front door, in the community at large. Television is anathema to community affairs and is being designed, more and more to induce apathy, and the acceptance of stupidity, rather than constructive debate, or inspiring entertainment.