Censorship And Propaganda Threatens Our Freedom

Authored by Bruce Wilds via Advancing Time blog,

Censorship is in many ways a reverse form of propaganda. It is not a mistake or oversight that many mainstream media outlets give their audience little ability to give feedback. They go out of their way to avoid anything that might dispute their narrative. While it could be argued the lack of a comment area or feature linked to an online format is often just an omission it could be something more and far more sinister. The lack of debate on whether America should be involved in the current dispute in Ukraine highlights how propaganda can dictate policy.

They Don’t Want Your Opinion

Propaganda tends to become a self-feeding loop that plays a huge role in shaping public opinions. The lack of a feedback loop is a tool to reinforce the idea there is no objection or criticism of the article or statement and everyone accepts its conclusions. I contend the subtle omission of a comment section online is often to quell dissenting voices and not because it simplifies the format.

The definition of censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information, on the basis that such views or material have been deemed objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or “inconvenient”. Censorship can be conducted by governments, private institutions, or corporations. This does include mainstream media. 

Censorship has a huge role in driving the fear of speaking out. By its nature censorship often implies those being silenced are trying to say something very wrong. I consider censorship and mainstream media’s role in it as part of the self-feeding propaganda loop that plays such a huge role in shaping public opinion.  This tends to result in those in the leadership positions that control the media slowly hacking away at the constitutional rights of the individual by furthering the idea it is all “for the greater good.“

The idea of having a press that is free to cover the news is linked to the idea it will be fair and such a freedom comes with a degree of responsibility. A common example is how freedom of speech should give someone the right to speak their mind but not scream fire in a crowded theater. This can slip into an argument as to the duty of the media in presenting as unbiased a view of events as possible. This is complicated by the fact many news outlets have moved more towards an entertainment format rather than presenting the cold hard facts and in that regard, sensationalism draws viewers.

Propaganda Shapes Public Opinion!

Call it what you want, propaganda or fake news, it is more or less the same thing and we are bombarded with it on a daily basis. This will continue to expand in the future considering the many new tools at the disposal of those wishing to both control and deceive us. Already fake news and false flags have left many of us having a difficult time deciding what is real. To make matters worse the rapidly growing ability of computers to generate human images is about to take this to a whole new level as this deceptive and potentially dangerous area of technology starts to become horribly abused. 

It could be argued, that mainstream media has become a polarizing force that stirs the pot of social unrest. By promoting polarization America’s media has made it impossible for the people to unite and regain any control over Washington. I would not be surprised if those in control are not giddy over this and the problems Facebook has created by playing fast and loose with data from its followers. Facebook by crossing the line and abusing the trust of those with accounts and information posted on  its platform has taken a great deal of pressure off of the mainstream media to do a better job.  

The sad reality is that “Power To The People” is dead because we, as a people are so divided and unable to agree on anything. Still, even more unsettling is the relationship so many large companies have made with the government. Anyone who doesn’t believe that countries use psychological warfare and propaganda to sway the opinions of people both in and outside of their country is naive. Sadly, this is a huge factor in our deployment of the military and the endless wars that benefit those building the weapons of death.

An Example Of The Lies We Are Fed

Propaganda is a powerful tool that has resulted in many wars that enrich those who make weapons at the expense of those called upon to give their blood. The fact that behemoth Amazon has intertwined business interests with the CIA, NSA, and several other “Deep State” government agencies is a monument to our having lost control of the massive part of our government that spies on us and spins the narratives to which we dance. The fact Amazon’s former CEO, Jeff Bezos, also owns the Washington Post, America’s most influential newspaper, should send shivers down the back of those believing in freedom and limited government. Simply put, this has taken propaganda to a whole new level and unleashed a force that none of our institutions can resist.

Today many people get the majority of their news over the internet. While this has made a huge difference in how news is distributed and how we receive the news, the reality is that much of the content remains controlled by a few strong players that are driven by an agenda of self-interest. It could be argued that the media has a moral obligation to provide more of a “public forum” if they want the right to call themselves “free and balanced” but if anything the noose is slowly tightening around those wishing for such a voice. Banning certain ideas and speech only tightens governments’ ability to control the masses.

Many of us out beyond the beltway in the backwaters and wilds of America have grown to feel the media has a casual relationship with the truth. In many ways, the media controlled by a few power brokers has become viewed more as a tool of the establishment than the protector of the people and defender of our rights. America’s forefathers never intended such unholy forces to guide our opinions. This could explain why the press is often held in such low esteem by the very public that relies on them for information. Coverage filled with subtle digs or comments and even subliminal messages taints the premise media is fair. During interviews, we often get an opportunity to witness examples of just how badly you can treat a guest invited to answer questions when they resist the narrative being pushed. 

This often results in over-the-top efforts to put words in someone’s mouth and take statements out of context. These words are then spun in the most harmful ways. If the guest represents views differing from the interviewer what we often see is an ambush. If a guest is favored or their views are endorsed it is often as though they had written the softball questions asked of them or as if they had been given the questions in advance or controlled the interview. All this can then be backed up by a series of scripted statements that all loop back around to support a hard or subliminal message.

With the biased coverage of current events being very common, it is little wonder that Americans question the honesty of the media whose ranks appear to have become filled with opportunists and bums dressed as a journalist. The fact is we often don’t agree with everything we view or read so “implied agreement” is not valid. Even including a simple thumbs up or down box at the end of an article would at least give readers a place to weigh in. Next time you are boiling mad or disagree with how an article is characterizing an event I urge you to take the time to see if the source has provided you with an opportunity to present your view. I would not be surprised if they have not.