The latest national discussion is the prevalence of ‘fake news’ being shared on social media platforms. Blatantly false information is now being broadcasted on Facebook and other outlets to generate ad revenue. During the election cycle, tin-foil hat conspiracy theories about the presidential candidates were blindly exchanged with little regard for truth at alarming rates. According to a recent CNN article, Facebook is in the process of developing tools to fight the omnipotence of fake news.
While it is true we should make every effort in our power to decipher truth from fiction, the dominant discourse on this topic is very superficial. The pervasive assumption is that once we purge our News Feeds of questionable sources and convince our family members to adhere to the demands of journalistic accountability, all our news will be ‘real’ again. This line of thought, however, fails to account for the everyday propaganda shoveled down our throats to maintain the system of capitalism and the military-industrial complex.
The Nexus of Power and Truth
There is an old saying: “the victors write the history books”. In other words, truth does not exist in and of itself, it is determined by those who are in power. The top echelon of society make the crucial decisions about what is considered true, and what is considered false. What we call true, in most cases, is that which fulfills the agenda of the powerful. What we call false, in most cases, is that which frustrates the agenda of the powerful.
For the ruling class to maintain power, it must have at least two forms of control: hegemony and coercion. Hegemony is the imposition of a worldview by the ruling class onto the lower classes in such a way that it becomes ‘common sense’ and the only credible perspective. Coercion refers to the physical force reserved for people when they refuse to submit to the hegemonic order: police, prison, and the army.
Maintaining Power
Hegemony is maintained, in part, by the ruling class’ complete domination of the means of communication. As of 2012, 90% of the American media was controlled by just 6 corporations. Many of the mainstream television stations and newspaper outlets we trust have already been consolidated under this shrinking umbrella of ‘truth’.
People in power are not interested in being genuine or in abiding by a humane code of ethics. They are interested in maintaining their power by any means necessary. For example, the Bush Administration knew full and well that there were no Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq. Over 1 million Iraqis died because of that ‘real news’ story.
Instead of juxtaposing ‘fake news’ to ‘real news’ in a dichotomy, it is more accurate to view both on a spectrum of fraudulence.
Prompt: Ostentatious
November 19, 2016 at 11:49 pm
I definitely agree. Funny enough, I do think the internet can be a potentially wonderful thing because it presents alternative viewpoints about what’s happening and share a different lens from the mainstream that holds its own agenda. However, with that said, it is also important to remember that even the alternative viewpoints can sometimes be controlled by the same that run the mainstream, to control the other side of the story so I guess to me, being in touch with what feels true to us is most important and not be so easily swayed by either side because like you said, they are “both on a spectrum of fraudulence.”
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November 20, 2016 at 5:54 am
Great point! I agree! That is the conundrum we are in. Sometimes we think we are being critical and balanced by having the other side of the argument, only to find out that they are two sides of the same coin. The challenge is to see that both sides are just two perspectives of the same point, and then to see form an additional perspective outside of that binary
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November 22, 2016 at 11:49 pm
Wow what I coincidence, I was just telling Dave on our podcast that a study is showing that millennials are believing 72% of fake news on line without any truth to it. Ads, Subliminal advertising, who has the most likes etc is alla distraction. A popularity contest on who can swindle your money and attention in exchange for false information
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November 23, 2016 at 9:10 am
That’s bananas. I am not surprised by 72%.
I see fake news as demonstrating a larger flaw with our system of communication and our education. Why are people so gullible?! If anyone can create a site, say anything, and convince masses of people – what makes people believe that the so-called “real news” sites are ever being honest with us?! The fake news sites are doing exactly what the real news sites are doing (deceiving us and making money) just to a greater degree.
There is wisdom to fake news. Fake news exposes the inner mechanisms of the entire information apparatus. Most of the news is fake, and it deceives millennials and their elders.
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November 23, 2016 at 9:21 am
It’s all distraction brotha. Whether it’s print media, social media, visual media or talk media. It’s crazy. There’s always a market for bs and drama in entertainment but when it over consumes real shit, that’s where people must draw the line
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November 23, 2016 at 9:23 am
I agree. Can people draw the line between real and fake? You are from California, you know this better than anyone. You had a celebrity as your governor. And now, we have a celebrity as our president-elect. Do you think that the divide between real and fake has been totally eroded?
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November 23, 2016 at 9:28 am
Yes. We have to factor in that America exports fame. Wealth. The American dream. It is our fault as Americans for lifting celebrities on these pedestals. Instead of lifting the teacher who just gave a starving student $20 to buy groceries or the airplane pilot who gets you from your destinations safely. It’s our fault as a whole country. We over value celebrities, and treat them like gods, then when they do something human, we crucify them for it. Sucks but it’s the truth
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November 23, 2016 at 9:36 am
Great point! That is, aside from weaponry, America’s main export: an illusion, a dream. So many people are poor and struggling and they are angry. To keep masses of people from protesting in the street and demanding change, we get the Kardashians. We put all of our faith in them, and then they become leaders (it is now at the point where Kim feels her endorsement for Hillary means something lol). If we are so obsessed with their personal lives, we never realize how badly we are being screwed and we forget all about the politicians and businessmen who are robbing us. Celebrities – which are distractions from life – then become larger than life, and we have a problem differentiating truth from falsehood.
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November 29, 2016 at 12:43 pm
I love you’ll dudes! I’m glad that I am able to connect with other critical thinking human beings. I agree with both of you that everything is a distraction. I have been trying to get people to break away from the mass media propaganda machine and do what we are doing now, write! We have the power to write history as we see fit! Please keep all of your writings compiled together. Use them for a future book.
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November 29, 2016 at 12:56 pm
Man that is an excellent idea.
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November 29, 2016 at 1:06 pm
25blackandalive.com/mystery-my-story-mastery/
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November 29, 2016 at 4:56 pm
I appreciate the love bro! I will definitely file my writings away for future circulation
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November 29, 2016 at 1:05 pm
Do it bro! I am! I’m not letting them tell my story!
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November 23, 2016 at 3:59 pm
So true Bro. DW, Jr! LOL!
I peeped this mess a long time ago!
People really are so gullible.
As you said, the media is very much controlled by a few.
I always tell folks to double and triple check stuff before they believe and then spread ‘news.’
Isn’t it sad that other countries have a more accurate view of what’s going on in the US than we do?
Anyway, how have you been doing love?
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November 23, 2016 at 6:10 pm
Thanks Lady G, I always appreciate the feedback! You are right for telling folks to check their sources. I see all types of unsubstantiated garbage in my News Feed … people don’t even bother to check the dates anymore! I see people who are so thirsty for “likes” that they post an old article as if it is breaking news and overlook that it happened two years ago. Lol. It’s awful.
I have been okay. Thanks for asking! Wish I were doing better. I’m trying not to give up on humanity. I am exhausted most days because I have a worldview that is so at odds with everyone else and there are so few people who see things similarly.
I am trying to get back into writing more often as well but …sigh.
How are you?
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November 23, 2016 at 6:25 pm
Love,
I’m going to overstep my boundaries here a bit by making a couple of suggestions.
I feel like I can do that as an elder 🙂
Darryl, I’d like to suggest that you consider engaging in some self care by resting some.
Sometimes, when we rest our minds, we gain clarity as to the next best step to take.
Surely, you will see the right path slowly unfold before your eyes.
What did Dr. MLK, Jr say: “You don’t have to see the whole staircase…”
Do this and I promise that your next step will pay off exponentially! 💫
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November 23, 2016 at 6:28 pm
Thanks my friend. No boundaries!
I appreciate the suggestion. That absolutely makes sense. =D
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November 29, 2016 at 12:53 pm
Bro I have been there! I have wanted to give up plenty of times. But something (God) keeps calling me back. I now see that I have to go about dealing with people differently. Since I know that most people are already cauht up in the matrix, I have taken myself out of it and I am completely shining. The people who see me shining want to know how they can too. The ones that ask, I tell.
You have to be just be great in whatever it is that you choose to be great at. As for my last post that you commented on. I just do things that change peoples’ outlook. In the past I would stress on how people don’t seem to understand things that are so elementary to me. Now I just do. If that makes any sense.
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November 29, 2016 at 4:58 pm
I feel you bro. Thanks for your words of wisdom!
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November 29, 2016 at 12:33 pm
This is exactly why I do not watch tv and push for others to do the same!
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