Branding & marketing of hypocrisy: Ramesh Shrestha

"We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security.”

- President Dwight Eisenhower, 17 January 1961

Attractive packaging and marketing of a product is the core feature of capitalist economy. It has the capacity to sell a hairbrush to a person with a bald scalp. This is exactly what the mainstream media (MSM) has done with the very concept of hypocrisy. In politics there is always a certain amount of hypocrisy like a faded shadow, it is always there, but in recent decades the hypocrisy has become a dark shadow that follows the politics, very visibly, without any shred of shame. The MSM is openly and regularly branding hypocrisy on behalf of the leaders and their failed politics everywhere.

Newspapers, radio broadcasts and television channels, collectively known as the mainstream media, have been the main sources of news for everyone. They collect their news from the source through their own journalists deployed across the world and it used to be reliable. Their coverage used to be diverse and inclusive with news and views of the government and other entities who may have differing views from the government. They still are our main source of news, but these entities have morphed into something very different compared to a few decades ago. They have become an untouchable empire dedicated to marketing hypocrisy.

So, what has changed?

The MSM has become a predator as the big media houses start to buy out smaller media outlets, consolidating sources of news to the public through limited outlets. It decidedly killed the diversity of opinions and prevented sharing the facts, at times intentionally. With this consolidation, enlightening the public with news has become a business with the massive involvement of money, power and political influence. It seems like the MSM has shredded their independence and objective reporting for good. 

There are just 12 large media houses which distribute news globally. The often talked about freedom of press and independent editorial independence has been sidelined to the margins. It is one of the worst products of the deregulation promoted by the market driven neoliberal capitalism. They decide which news to be circulated and which news to be suppressed. In other words, there is no longer media integrity or neutrality. The sponsored views and op-eds are presented in such a way that they appear like news, which the majority of the people seem unable to decipher. 

Glorifying wars

The mainstream media appear to portray wars as essential evil to promote peace, security and democracy. The tentacles of MSM have snatched the business of war as one of its core objectives while continuing to talk about global peace and security. There cannot be a bigger hypocrisy than this dangerous escapade of keeping one foot on the peace talk and another foot on the business of war. Wars have also been marketed as a national agenda of preserving its national security and protecting their way of life. In reality war is a business of killing unknown people by other unknown people to protect and promote the business of tycoons and unscrupulous leaders to enrich their wealth and protect their image. This is the mainstay of MSM.

Movie production and distribution is also owned by the mainstream media tycoons. Movies also have become the main outlets of promoting societal violence by glorifying wars. Movie goers are caught in awe seeing computer generated graphics with an act of heroism by the lead actor who saves an orphan whom you will see in an TV interview, never mind that the Hero incinerated the entire village. But the movie goers are thrilled. Such is the mindset of average citizens and the hypocrisy of our media.

Killing the future

Children are our future! Sounds familiar? The young generation born in the last three decades most likely have not fully understood our immediate past history. Since childhood they are completely shielded by the mainstream media from the reality of the real world. They are surrounded by the Internet and numerous devices and games which include both good and bad. The mainstream media appears unhinged to engage the younger generation in shaping the future with few possible exceptions. Is it for fear of lessening their profit?

According to Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2019, the young generation opt for alternate (social) media as opposed to mainstream media. Unfortunately, alternate media has also been dominated by the MSM. It is also usually full of fake news, opinions and even harmful news and messages with glorified contents not suitable for young minds.

In addition, the young generation is largely focused on their personal needs and enjoyment which is somewhat distant from the world they have to survive as an adult. They appear least concerned about regional and international issues, which they see as distant matters. There are some issues which the young generation has embraced such as the climate crisis. But movements on this issue are like pulses without a sustained effort. The deeper issues in our society such as cost of living, income inequality and future of employment remains untouched.

Should be done, can be done but will they do it?

The MSM has to shade its hypocrisy and share whatever it is as it is. The mainstream media need to unmask the shady politicians to make the general public, especially the youth as they are the ones who will be in the governing seats in coming decades. Equally important is to encourage the young generation for positive thinking, away from the destructive alternate media. Young generations are okay to be recruited in the military conscription. Why are they not suitable to engage in national and international affairs for the sake of international peace?

Certain countries accuse the media in some countries as state sponsored but in the accusing countries the MSM is backing the state apparatus, in essence running the government. These MSM parrots the policies of the state irrespective of if it is business or national security or wars.

Casualty of truth

The only truth the MSM has not been able to bend is that the Sun still rises in the East. MSM has become the His Master’s Voice of the hardcore political extremists and the neoliberal economists in mind bending policies, unrecognized by average citizens everywhere. Should anyone be interested in the truth, one need to peel layer after layer of everything one reads and hears like peeling an onion. MSM promotes freedom of expression but at the same time MSM decides what information you can have access to, who you can be friends with and who are your enemies – hypocrisy at its best, so much so that seeking truth can even be life threatening. The governments controlled by the MSM are busy keeping their people ignorant so that the enablers of the government continue to make profit in everything under the Sun. In the end it is a game of power and money. It is not about elusive truth or your right to know.

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Contact Ramesh : ramesh.chauni@gmail.com