In our political world of pundits, commentators, anchors, writers, reporters, and even politicians themselves how does one drown out the incredible noise of ideas and divine for oneself what one believes? Can we truly? Are there forces out there that shape how our mind will think and ultimately come to action before we ourselves even do so?
Edward Bernays and his uncle, Sigmund Freud both proposed this idea and then took its affection to society as their own undertaking. Freud began his psychoanalysis research in earnest, attempting to see that which truly drives us and identify it so that we may become more self determining in our actions, despite our potentially unbridled subconscious whims and desires - posed to be inherent in all of us. Bernays, an astute journalist and writer took these studies (sent as a thank you for a box of Cuban cigars) and realized that if these drives could be identified, could they then be shaped by any sort of means?
Upon realizing the effect of propaganda during World War I and it’s tremendous ability to shift the publics opinions and even core values in times of crises was the proverbial light switch illuminating the ability of a party to use propaganda - and it’s rebranding public relations - to shape our wants and desires for us, disregarding empathic drives and even rational thought itself.
His first true hit was the usage of cigarettes as “freedom torches” a stand against mans expression of sexuality by his use of tobacco by women who by and large didn’t smoke, owing to prevailing social taboos. Inventing an association between an abstract - freedom - and concrete, cigarettes, Bernays almost single handedly produced an entirely new public, the smoker; a sexless, faceless entity that identifies with freedom above all; even health.
Seeing and knowing how our own wants and desires are created off our own inherent fears, alienation, inadequacy, and a lack of individualism can change who we are fundamentally and how we behave in society. Commercial ads use this very principal to lead us to consumerism, even in the face of economic hardship or even a lack of desire for a given product, and increasingly so do Politicians and those playing their game.
Rush Limbaugh, conservative radio host and personality is unparalelled in his influence as a private citizen. His show attracts a record audience for all radio programming, and his followers by and large are extensions of himself - acting even at odds of their own self interest in lieu of belonging to his political action network; his listeners and true holders of what America should be.
Using his message of fear, scarcity, and the idea that government is not the proprietor of freedoms but instead the opponent; he taps into what has become the popular ideal that solely unbridled capitalism - this distortion of the “American Dream” is our lone path back to righteousness and true liberty. This message is at odds with his listeners own needs, Government subsidized healthcare, tax increases for those that do not have the public’s interest at heart, and the right of the minority to have an equal share.
But is this a lie? Have we been sold snake-oil? In a broad sense, yes - Corporations who by law may not care for the public have been given precedence in the political arena. Their voice and lobbying power outweigh those of the public for the simple fact that dollars have come to represent interest - and corporations along with their owners have more at their disposal than the entire American people. Why would such a state of affairs exist? Surely people must care about the functioning of democracy as intended; but this too even has fallen by the way side owing to sponsors and advertisers monopoly on our attention spans. We dare not even eschew consumerism for fear it may affect the economy - a large indicator of how “free” our society truly is and it’s success in doing so.
Consumerism has replaced any kind of activism, political debate, or issue as our main concern. If we lose the “freedom” to buy and sell at will all others will surely fall along with it; this is a patent fabrication by corporations, their lobbyists, and the politicians who remember their friends (and campaign financiers) when it does come time to decide what the fate of the populace is. This closed loop of consumerism as freedom, it’s necessity to preserve our economy and profit margins as indicators of this, and those who unceasingly push this message towards us must be reversed if we have any hope of returning to what may rightfully be called “Freedom.”
Edward Bernays and his uncle, Sigmund Freud both proposed this idea and then took its affection to society as their own undertaking. Freud began his psychoanalysis research in earnest, attempting to see that which truly drives us and identify it so that we may become more self determining in our actions, despite our potentially unbridled subconscious whims and desires - posed to be inherent in all of us. Bernays, an astute journalist and writer took these studies (sent as a thank you for a box of Cuban cigars) and realized that if these drives could be identified, could they then be shaped by any sort of means?
Upon realizing the effect of propaganda during World War I and it’s tremendous ability to shift the publics opinions and even core values in times of crises was the proverbial light switch illuminating the ability of a party to use propaganda - and it’s rebranding public relations - to shape our wants and desires for us, disregarding empathic drives and even rational thought itself.
His first true hit was the usage of cigarettes as “freedom torches” a stand against mans expression of sexuality by his use of tobacco by women who by and large didn’t smoke, owing to prevailing social taboos. Inventing an association between an abstract - freedom - and concrete, cigarettes, Bernays almost single handedly produced an entirely new public, the smoker; a sexless, faceless entity that identifies with freedom above all; even health.
Seeing and knowing how our own wants and desires are created off our own inherent fears, alienation, inadequacy, and a lack of individualism can change who we are fundamentally and how we behave in society. Commercial ads use this very principal to lead us to consumerism, even in the face of economic hardship or even a lack of desire for a given product, and increasingly so do Politicians and those playing their game.
Rush Limbaugh, conservative radio host and personality is unparalelled in his influence as a private citizen. His show attracts a record audience for all radio programming, and his followers by and large are extensions of himself - acting even at odds of their own self interest in lieu of belonging to his political action network; his listeners and true holders of what America should be.
Using his message of fear, scarcity, and the idea that government is not the proprietor of freedoms but instead the opponent; he taps into what has become the popular ideal that solely unbridled capitalism - this distortion of the “American Dream” is our lone path back to righteousness and true liberty. This message is at odds with his listeners own needs, Government subsidized healthcare, tax increases for those that do not have the public’s interest at heart, and the right of the minority to have an equal share.
But is this a lie? Have we been sold snake-oil? In a broad sense, yes - Corporations who by law may not care for the public have been given precedence in the political arena. Their voice and lobbying power outweigh those of the public for the simple fact that dollars have come to represent interest - and corporations along with their owners have more at their disposal than the entire American people. Why would such a state of affairs exist? Surely people must care about the functioning of democracy as intended; but this too even has fallen by the way side owing to sponsors and advertisers monopoly on our attention spans. We dare not even eschew consumerism for fear it may affect the economy - a large indicator of how “free” our society truly is and it’s success in doing so.
Consumerism has replaced any kind of activism, political debate, or issue as our main concern. If we lose the “freedom” to buy and sell at will all others will surely fall along with it; this is a patent fabrication by corporations, their lobbyists, and the politicians who remember their friends (and campaign financiers) when it does come time to decide what the fate of the populace is. This closed loop of consumerism as freedom, it’s necessity to preserve our economy and profit margins as indicators of this, and those who unceasingly push this message towards us must be reversed if we have any hope of returning to what may rightfully be called “Freedom.”
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