4.27.2021

In today's class, we were introduced to the matrix of propaganda and the hidden truths behind the media we see and experience in our everyday lives. To be honest, I knew that there was no such thing as unbiased media and that there is to an extent control and suppression from the companies themselves that decides what to disclose to the public. However, I wasn't aware of the fact that there was more to the iceberg than the tip itself, and especially the concept of the 5 filters that was established by Noam Chomsky in his infamous book, "Manufacturing Consent". Through participating in the in-class demonstration of these 5 stages has opened my eyes to the dreading realities of just how manipulative information could be, and the ubiquity of the revenue-prioritizing mindset that these media holders hold. Leadership when initiated correctly can bring forth such a positive impact on the world, but the media industry proves its flaws where leaders can coerce their workers and other rivals, all because of their self-centered priorities of profit and reputation.

I was mostly intrigued by the numerous sneaky tactics that companies and wealthy monopolies use in order to contain their sponsorships and ranks. Especially their way of taking advantage of their power in order to conceal the truth that may harm their status, through threatening opponents with a team of lawyers that could sue them at any moment. The so-called "flak" method seemed outrageous because there is no way of avoiding a hoard of private lawyers being attained on protecting one's reputation, and what's more, is that we don't even read these coercing situations because anyone that tries to do so may be targetted by the equivalent company that suppressed them in the first place. Without any case studies, we may have never known the prevalence of flak in recent media, which now as I am imagining it, would have been truly scary for those working in that field. 

Something else that I reconsidered was the presence of advertising in media, and its dominance over it. I mean, advertisements are what allow media to exist in the first place, but until now I had thought that these two co-existed within the same field. However, now that I understand that stories can be re-written into completely new narratives full of lies and wording choices that obviously overemphasize the innocence of whatever company that had been under speculation, I have started to doubt the independence of media overall. Perhaps, media is a type of sneaky advertising, and in reality, doesn't exist at all without it becoming an advert. I am now contemplating on allowing myself to immerse into media as entertainment, and not as a channel to form my ideologies. It's like watching reality TV; you know it's fake, but you watch it anyway for the sake of the exaggerated fight scenes and obnoxious family drama.

In the end, I believe it's difficult to just allow for all the wealthy media company owners to throw away their position and cater to their audiences by providing the truth. However, the readers themselves can change for the better, by allowing us to become aware of these filters, and avoiding the media from becoming a part of our identity.