I have known for a while that pretty much everyone on TV is American corporate propaganda, that entices you into materially and intellectually consume you way to an early grave.
There is a moment however when you truly grasp the bullshit you have been watching your entire life. I finished watching Good Game tonight, yes I am a massive gamer (as much as I have time for). I finished watching it and start talking to friends. I flicked the channels and "NCIS: LA" was on. I have to say at this point, before I became politically active about 2 years ago, these kind of shows were part of my regular viewing, my entertainment if you will.
What I saw next was weirdly shocking. The team were in the command room looking at some cyber device that had been stolen. It looked like a spider machine that spied on bad people and/or was used to rip the face off communists. The main characters said something along the lines of "this device protects our country from terrorists and if it gets in the hands of our enenmy could be used against us". So interesting how America is the only land that seeks to protect itself. If another country dare mimic America they must be run by terrorists.
It reminded me of the speech by Dahlia Wasfi, where she said "to most of the world, we are the terrorists."
It is like one of those moments when you meet a childhood idol and realise they are a complete wank stain. Well... this wasn't one of those times, but it was pretty close.
A couple of scenes later two of the male characters were in the mans house who apparently stole this material... ok stop right there. When did they have the chance to get a court order, surely that would be highly entertaining? Noooo. We must see big bangs and catch bad guys! The two characters were talking to each other and said something along the lines of "I just don't understand how someone can work for our country and then turn their back and sell us out".
Holy fucking shit - I know what you might be thinking, "Evan you're such a noob, this type of propaganda has been going on for decades" but spare me, I'm in catchup mode - is this not manipulating the debate around Edward Snowden. The Former NSA/CIA/private contractor that helped leak information about one of the largest stories in recent decades. Oh yes, you bet it is. Probably also why the 'NCIS' franchise promotes the 'Microsft Surface' so heavily. Pretty smart when you think about it, in a 'no morals' kind of way.
I'm sure this is the beginning of my journey out of the media trenches of terror, fear and consumption that was so neatly wrapped up in an easy to swallow blue apathy pill. Maybe the pills were jelly beans and the Matrix was describing the never ending cycle of corporate consumption? We will never know.
Anyway, while I'm writing this, journalists - well really everyone - is under threat by ubiquitous mass surveillance system. A system where it's reach is unlimited but it's safeguards are not.
Mass surveillance, it's the virtue of excising your freedom to spy on others while simultaneously feeding the glutenous hoard of capitalist "entrepreneurs".Where propaganda fills our airwaves and our only alternative is to stand up and join alternative bands. For the branding of malpractice we face in the short term is small in comparison to the shame and disgust of our future generations.
One of the most holistic views at this dispersion of misinformation is best seen during the recent wars, if not all, lead by the 'Coalition of the Willing'. The film by John Pilger does this by dissecting social views and how they are displaced. I have seen it once before, but think it's probably worth a second watch.
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