This is a thoughtful intelligent writer, imo.
From the piece:
Taibbi argues that what we think of as “the news” is actually an “individualized consumer experience – anger just for you.” Reporting has become a “marketing process designed to create rhetorical addictions…and pockets of political rancor…masses of media consumers who’ve been trained to see only one direction.”
What a great phrase: “anger just for you”. I’ve always regarded newspapers as riling their readers deliberately, as an adjunct to the soothing salve offered by their advertisers on the facing page. New car, nice clothes, the curtains of your dreams… making the hurt go away.
The earliest papers were mainly adverts (for snake oil, quite literally) with a bit of sensational “penny dreadful” style outrage thrown in.
Have subscribed to the 'Stack
That’s true Karen. I tend to think of bad media as a modern thing but as you point out, twas ever thus. Modern technology and concentrated ownership beefs up its power. Total and constant manipulation, and it’s very difficult to understand what’s really going on.
I have a lot of respect for Linda’s work. Will be interested to see what you think of it.
Haven’t had chance to look at the linked article, but I saw this earlier and it’s pinged about my head since.
As leftwing and rightwing are on the back of the same bird, I try to visit all opinions. But I’ve noticed there are very very few places that are open minded AND tolerant.
It could be argued that many new forms of “news” (blogs, forums and the like) are merely same shit, different toilet. All trapped in their own little pocket.
It’s not easy to bust out from either…
Very true @LocalYokel - the ‘minority’ voices (blogs, SubStack and the like) do have that same effect of making the readers seethe, albeit about different things. “Look what ‘they’ are doing to us” . . . can foster a sense of helplessness.
Uncensored opposition, even if sometimes seems somewhat impotent, provides the ruling powers with feedback they might not get otherwise and has had some useful effects I think. If I spoil my ballot paper it doesn’t achieve anything except that it aligns with my feeling that the charade is not worth it, which is less damaging to self-esteem than voting for the least-worst option. If I had ever lived in a marginal seat I would have a different view though.