A thought provoking question stirred in my head today:
“Does a bad person spreading a good message take away from the message itself?”
My opinion didn’t come immediately of course. After all, there was a lot to consider.
How is the message being exposed? Why do I have negative opinions about the individual? What attributes make the message a good one? I decided to find an example and see how I actually felt about it. Shortly after, I discovered a quote from the neo-con. pundit Glenn Beck. On his radio show he said something along the lines of ‘bring our troops home!’ Personally, I am in line with this stance, as I believe the U.S. military is too active across the globe and that the major conflicts we’re engaged in are unconstitutional and immoral.
In the past, Mr. Beck has spoken against non-intervention and it’s supporters, using words like ‘isolationist’, ‘dangerous’, & ’stupid’, yet here he is announcing his latest position on the “global war on terrorism.” So can I trust him? What is his motive? Won’t people who dislike Mr. Beck be forced to take an opposing position on this issue?
No, I cannot trust him. He is a media shill that’s paid to say certain things.
“His” motive is not necessarily his rather that of someone behind the scenes. I believe every media organization is under some specific influence (someone with $$$) which likes to use news media outlets as a way of promoting their own agendas. So, instead I ask “What is their motive?”
Even without knowing the details of who pays for Beck’s show, I realize the news media has always been generally supportive of Obama and Bush’s wars. It would be strange to see a sudden change in heart, though it is possible.
It’s also possible that Beck is being used to discredit a movement that adamantly supports non-intervention and bringing our soldiers home. Also, liberals and democrats (who likely cringe at the name ‘Glenn Beck’) could react to hearing a conservative supporting the withdrawal of troops by standing by their President and the war he has our men and women fighting.
While running this debate in my head, I remembered something I learned a long time ago.
MEDIA IS MIND CONTROL
In every form, with every word, your squishy sponge brain absorbs every bit of information and interprets it automatically at the subconscience level. You think you’re able to avoid it’s influence by conscienesly interpretting and processing what you see and what you hear or read, and that you’re able to correct whatever your subconscience interprets. No doubt, certain people are capable of rejecting first impressions on specific issues. For example; you will never convince a dentist not to floss, but with the right amount of exposure to pretty blondes and beardless men on the nightly news saying things like “Flossing has been directly linked to gum disease and gingivitus,” paired with the headline flashing at the bottom of the screen “Study says ‘No more floss!’, you might just be surprised at the effect it has on the exposed population. I’m going to say it again.
MEDIA IS MIND CONTROL
How do I know this? It spawns from the point made earlier, that news media exists to promote particular agenda. The means to accomplish this agenda is achieved by controlling thoughts, opinions, discussions and actions of individuals and, eventually, society. So when I see every major network repeating (not reporting) the same story, using the same key words, sharing the same quotes, showing the same footage, making the exact same corrections, all using only slightly different voices.. I recognize an attempt to hijack the subconscience of all those exposed. For example, what did U.S. news media look like in January?
“Assault weapons,” “shooting,” “weapons ban,” “gun control,” “semi-automatic guns,” “guns,” “gun purchases,” “rifles and shotguns,” “another shooting,” “NRA,” “guns control,” “Feinstein,” “gun laws,” ETC. ETC.
Suddenly facebook EXPLODES into people sharing their opinions on stories, sharing graphics of gun stats, and long winded explinations of the 2nd Amendment. Suddenly gun sales are BOOMING nationwide. Suddenly state legislatures begin passing new means to prohibit the sale and ownership of certain defense weapons and accessories. Would all this have happened without the loud and repetitive media? I’m going to say it again.
MEDIA IS MIND CONTROL
So finally, I answered my own question: ”Does a bad person spreading a good message take away from the message itself?” NO. The talking heads are all the same. It is the message that they repeat that changes. So when anybody in front of a microphone or camera spreads a message of peace, of freedom and liberty, of justice for any reason at all.. I will be grateful for their actions.
