Wednesday, February 22, 2017

The media's job is to "control exactly what people think"


That's the extraordinary claim made by MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski earlier this morning.

While discussing President Trump's entreaties to the American people to remain skeptical of the press, Bzezinski worried that if the economy turns south, Americans may end up trusting him over the media.

"And it could be that while unemployment and the economy worsens, he could have undermined the messaging so much that he can actually control exactly what people think," Brzezinski said. "And that, that is our job."

SCARBOROUGH: "Exactly. That is exactly what I hear. What Yamiche said is what I hear from all the Trump supporters that I talk to who were Trump voters and are still Trump supporters. They go, 'Yeah you guys are going crazy. He's doing -- what are you so surprised about? He is doing exactly what he said he is going to do.'"

BRZEZINSKI: "Well, I think that the dangerous, you know, edges here are that he is trying to undermine the media and trying to make up his own facts. And it could be that while unemployment and the economy worsens, he could have undermined the messaging so much that he can actually control exactly what people think. And that, that is our job."

There's more at the link.

That explains a lot about why the mainstream media are so adamantly, categorically, pathologically opposed to President Trump and his agenda.  We've examined several of their falsehoods on this blog in recent weeks.  To mention just a few, from most recent to oldest:


Brzezinski's comments provide a new perspective on such media bias.  They honestly think it's their job to be that way, and for the rest of us to fall into line and digest what they spoon-feed us.  One can't help but wonder what they've been smoking, to give them that idea . . .  After all, if I wouldn't (and I don't) trust any politician or bureaucrat to tell me what to believe, why should I trust any journalist that way?

Peter

8 comments:

Old NFO said...

Trusting ANY of them is a mistake... IF their lips are moving, they are probably lying... Sigh

Anonymous said...

The journalists like to point at Trump's approval rating and claim it is unusually low, but they conveniently ignore the fact their their own approval rating is much, much, lower - his rating, depending on the poll, is 40 to 55%' their rating is 9 to 20%.

Anonymous said...

In Stalin's Russia, or North Korea, yes, but not in any free country.

Al_in_Ottawa

eldiabloloco said...

Silly bourgeoisie proles didn't vote the party line. How dare any of them critique their betters at the Ministry of Truth?

Its not a surprise they think that way. A bit surprised one let it slip though.

So if the press is sacrosanct due to mention in the bill of rights, does that mean they need to stop bashing the NRA? Oh! Its all so CONFUSING. ;)

DaddyBear said...

At least the mask is slipping a bit. Not that it'll make much of a difference, but still....

Post Alley Crackpot said...

This is an attitude coming to you live and direct via Edward Bernays and his counterparts ...

They're afraid that by accessing the public through direct means, the ability to massage the public's sentiments into a "crystallised public opinion" will be undermined.

These journalists believe their lives, not just their livelihoods, are being threatened because they've been taught through the field of "communications" that corralling public sentiment and busting through people's logic-proof compartments is in fact their raison d'être.

It may be hard for you to believe, but they believe that democracy is a manufactured product, a necessary end that's the result of news processes that date back to Cicero's time, and that without their input in the matter and with someone simply going over their heads to the people themselves, democracy itself is being threatened.

Well, good for democracy then, because I despise rule by the sentiments of mobsters even more than rule by the sentiments of mobs.

Laissez les bon temps rouler.

Steffen said...

Trump on Twitter: The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!

Discussed the topic with the wife last night. I thought this tweet hyperbolic, but after reflection I think he's right.

Our duty as Citizens requires us to be informed, not disinformed and propagandized.

Kimberwarrior45 said...

I remember in the 1980s a program on PBS that was a round table discussion with the top MSM news media discussing the news industry. One of the main personalities, can't remember which presenter but recall it was a 6:30PM nightly news talking head of one of the three letter broadcast companies, stated to the effect that they only have 3 minutes to tell people how they should think about a situation. None of the others at the table disagreed or said that they presented the facts and allowed the view to make an informed decision. Fake news has been around a long time