Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

ancianita

(35,812 posts)
Sat Dec 21, 2019, 08:36 PM Dec 2019

Putin and Trump's HyperNormalization -- Backstory from Documentarian Adam Curtis

Last edited Sat Dec 21, 2019, 09:26 PM - Edit history (3)

Adam Curtis is best known for his All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace(2011). Curtis' unique historical connections re-shape our perspectives on modern problems, and can inform us about whether our politics does or does not address them.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Curtis

This shorter segment from his 2016 documentary, HyperNormalisation, looks at how Trump and Putin have used their wealth and power to confuse the masses by obstructing any view of their operations, and fabricating similar narratives to explain what collective people see.

Perception management corporations are all over the planet.

These politics of reality are recent, insurgent forms of power. They have taken hold of Eurasian and Western societies, led by confidence men who say "truth is not truth," wearing down science, research and journalism.

We The People politics must be informed by these shapeshifters' efforts to beat whole nations into helplessness to know what's real and what's fake.



If you're interested in the above, the longer version of HyperNormalisation is below. I highly recommend viewing any of his documentaries, but especially the two posted here.

9 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Putin and Trump's HyperNormalization -- Backstory from Documentarian Adam Curtis (Original Post) ancianita Dec 2019 OP
I'm watching now, thank you for posting. dewsgirl Dec 2019 #1
Let me know what you think, okay? ancianita Dec 2019 #2
I just finished the first one. I think I'm terrified. dewsgirl Dec 2019 #4
Terror is instructive, though. Everyone needs to see how abuse of power saps humanity's energy. ancianita Dec 2019 #5
It's an emotion I have became very familiar with, as of late. dewsgirl Dec 2019 #6
Thank you. OhNo-Really Dec 2019 #3
Adam Curtis... Layzeebeaver Dec 2019 #7
Thank you. I just watched the long version all the way through. hedda_foil Dec 2019 #8
My take is that while Bernays was theoretical, ancianita Dec 2019 #9

ancianita

(35,812 posts)
5. Terror is instructive, though. Everyone needs to see how abuse of power saps humanity's energy.
Sat Dec 21, 2019, 09:21 PM
Dec 2019

Organized, focused anger is becoming the only remedy.

Anger is a gift to be used in service of justice and peace.

Even as Adam Curtis shows the ugliness of abuse of money and power, he also strengthen's people's hearts and minds to "read" that power and never let its wielders gain a foothold on our government and society.

dewsgirl

(14,961 posts)
6. It's an emotion I have became very familiar with, as of late.
Sat Dec 21, 2019, 09:26 PM
Dec 2019

I'm beginning the next one, now I will let you know. Thanks again.

Layzeebeaver

(1,574 posts)
7. Adam Curtis...
Sun Dec 22, 2019, 07:19 AM
Dec 2019

...is in my opinion one of the greatest documentarians in recent history.

I suggest folks watch "Bitter Lake" as well.

Frankly, when I watch his work my brain hurts, but in a good way.

hedda_foil

(16,368 posts)
8. Thank you. I just watched the long version all the way through.
Sun Dec 22, 2019, 05:17 PM
Dec 2019

Curtis makes some very astute connections but he's wrong in thinking that "perception management" was birthed by computer algorithms. It's just the very latest term for propaganda, as defined by the psychologist Edward Bernays before WWI -- how to influence group opinion.



But the need to influence groups goes back to the mists of human history, and has been done with greater or lesser success by leaders throughout history, using whatever technology was available to popularize the leader's ideas.

ancianita

(35,812 posts)
9. My take is that while Bernays was theoretical,
Mon Dec 23, 2019, 10:06 AM
Dec 2019

perception management does actual astroturfing of divisive collective political action, based on false claims and propaganda.

It's also become Dept of Defense-sponsored and State Dept-sponsored, not just oriented to corporate true/false ad buys, as in the past. The Tea Party was the most obvious example to most Americans, except teapartiers.





Latest Discussions»Retired Forums»Video & Multimedia»Putin and Trump's HyperNo...