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Edited on Sun Jan-11-09 12:12 PM by RandomThoughts
They are like a group. They sometimes even swap positions.
If 10-20% of the people know they are being told a slanted version of things, that does not matter.
For example, if everyone on this site knows something, and knows something should be done. It absolutely does not matter unless the 80% that get all their news in a few minutes of TV, bar talk, or radio on the way to work, believe it is also not correct. Remember guy who thought Mr. Obama was Muslim a few weeks before election. Also most of society is bubbilized, so groups don't cross pollinate.
One of the most fascinating things about society is that it does not matter if 20% know its all ridiculous, if they never talk to other people, or never actually do anything.
Just off the top of my head, here are some things that could be done. Get a list of known things that are not true you heard on some news source, put them on a piece of paper, with proof. Pick the most obvious. Then with a list of sponsors of the show. Go and tell everyone you know, explaining to them what you believe is going on, and why it is important. would you stop buying product? would they?
Then get together with groups of 20 or so, and stand outside local stores with the fliers and very politely show the names of sponsors and why you are boycotting them.
Sounds pretty funny, and I have to admit, I never have started a boycott, or done fliers, but I will tell you what, it is really tough to even get a few people to listen to anything. They have been trained, "don't talk politics", and some of them actually just start screaming when you quietly point out all their safe little thoughts of how 'war is peace', don't make sense. Then you just change subject, maybe ask why they are mad.
And many of them absolutely do not care if people elsewhere die, or if others lose there job, they have no concept that what happens to the neighbor might impact them. And they have never identified with a person 1000s of miles away, and have no empathy for them. "They are all just -insert label -"
And here is the thing, if the 20% that know things are wrong, don't ever do anything, how can anyone expect the 80% that just go along and get along will ever do anything.
You could also attend meetings or donate to causes you believe in, and then introduce others to what they work on. There are some local media voices, look for a local cable access chanel, sometimes they get on between the other stuff on cable access. Unions might be a place, or some of the activist groups might have media sections.
Just some ideas. But thats how hard it is. Look how hard it was for MLK to organize marches, and he was fighting for the rights and dignity of the human race! Imagine how hard it would be to make an argument, 'they are a bit slanted by corporate agenda.' Its that hard. you literally have to deprogram a life time of image and thought indoctrination. Sometimes you actually have to teach what basic concepts like liberty/security balance, and have to explain that corporate rule and capitalism is not the same thing as democracy, that the words mean different things. Sometimes you would have to actually get someone to think about the possible suffering of others, and by doing that you add to their suffering, for if they empathies then they suffer along with the people they identify with. Do we even have the right to do that?
So do you want to start talking to your friends, co-workers, social friends about this stuff? Most people don't, it gets pretty frustrating and lonely, but after a few years you can actually see a difference in an entire group. If you can never get angry, and never get pushy.
But on a bright side, there has been a shift in punditry, if you look at 4-5 years ago, you can see it has changed a bit.
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