Our Corporate Media Whores--Major Rant

[Arkham House]

As the United States continues--indeed, accelerates--its seemingly inexorable slide towards Fascism, a few words about the ladies and gentlemen of our Corporate Media seem in order. They would probably be indignant if you described them as Fascist Fellow Travellers--even, possibly, if you called them Republican Toadies. In fact, what they are is a useless, parasitic courtier class. Their best analogues would be the Breshnev-era Nomenklatura, or possibly the courtiers at Louis XIV's court. Their whole existence seems to revolve around being seen, being pampered, being flattered by fellow parasites exactly like themselves. They are incapable--not merely of objecticity, but even of original thought or perhaps any thought at all. Watching these people on TV--and that's where the worst of them infest themselves--one has the feeling that one has woken up in a lunatic asylum. These people contribute exactly zero to our national dialog and the well-being of the Republic. Indeed, I'd say their "contribution" is negative, since every word they speak, every breath they take, reduces the sum of human knowledge and intelligence--both. The only reason our "democracy" even seems to exist is because of inertia and the brave fearless work of a small group of people, in the media and in the streets of the country, who still believe in the possibilities of our country. But if the Fascists ever manage to crush these patriots and throw away the fig leaf, the Corporate Media Whores will cheerfully go along, gushing on our TV screens over our big, brave leaders keeping us safe from "terror" in 2010, 2020, 2030 etc...with occasional frowns directed at the "dissidents" who won't acknowledge "reality"...(I suspect a token Democratic Party might be permitted to exist, as long as it's made clear to them they couldn't rock the boat in any way, or have the temerity to ask for real elections.)
What could be done? If, God be praised, the Left ever really came to power in this country and meant business, I have a couple of suggestions. One--relatively simple--would be to simply introduce a bill saying that only American citizens can own US media companies, and then immediately strip Rupert Murdoch of his "citizenship"--realizing, of course, that his citizenship was never anything more than a front for making money, and had nothing to do with any real concern or respect for the United States of America. Two--antitrust the shit out of the Corporate Media. I mean as in a Carthaginian Solution to the fuckers. Squash them flat. And three--impose a Talking Head Tax, just for the Courtier Class--all income over $100,000 shall be taxed out of existence. But only for Sam, and Cokie, and Ted, and Sean, and Bow-tie Boy, and the Pig Boy Limbaugh, and Nora and Katie and goodness gracious knows who else--*all* of them. Let them live in the world of the working-class for awhile--maybe just for five years, long enough for it to hurt. Then maybe they'd know just whose side they should really be on, and remember that their job is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable, and not to be courtiers... I'm not holding my breath. But anything is possible in politics. Maybe we'll all live to see the day...

[MazeRat7]

1. This is not limited to the "media"... it systemic in corporations...

most folks in corporations don't "think" for themselves... they are not allowed to in the big picture. With the exception of tech R&D, generally being an "individual thinker" or "contributor" in a corporation has no ultimate impact on that corporation other than feel good measures like a "better process" or "more efficiency" - all things that benefit the corp, not the worker.

So while your rant is true - its not just "the media"... this is happing everywhere from retail, to finance, to durable goods.

MZr7

[AX10]

2. This also applies to Wal-Mart too.

I would also strip Murdoch of EVERY cent he has to his name.

"antitrust the shit out of the Corporate Media. I mean as in a Carthaginian Solution"
:toast:

[Harry S Truman]

3. Face it

It's OVER. We're over. I'm so close to giving up.

[tom_paine]

4. Yes, that does seem to be the most likely course from here

But there is always hope...a 5% chance of restoring post WWII-Free America. As high as 20%, I think sometimes when I hear the rusty gears of the Old Republic clicking and clacking, indicting Tom DeLay and Scooter Libby, and I think there's an outside shot that we can rid ourselves of these vampires and at least get leadership, corrupt though they may be, at least it's relatively low-level like skimming some cash, dope, or blow jobs.

Not torture, nonstop robbing and lying and getting so damned many people killed with aggressive incompetence, looting the Treasury four ways to Sunday and on and on and on...

I am just hoping the bill doesn't come due until I am dead. Seems unlikely. In even the BEST case scenario, we are headed into some economic deep shit...as soon as the baby boomers start to retire.

Imperial Amerika is a Third-World Nation, and we will seek our level now, or Free America will be restored.