Mar 30, 2022
With the rise of mainstream media and modern capitalistic “workplace-based culture”, we have found ourselves in a unique situation.
The modern mainstream media has enabled the rapid spread of ideas and opinions.
Many people in the current world do not think about controversial topics for themselves. This may be because they don’t have time, or they simply don’t want to put in the effort.
This is where the availability of ideas comes in.
By having opinions a few clicks away, it becomes very easy to adopt the ideas and opinions of others without much thought.
Work keeps the average person too busy for them to spend much time on other things. This does not only affect the time one has for thinking (at least in-depth), but also the time one has to engage in other self-fulfilling activities.
If people have no time for art, reading, etc., how will they have time to ponder or read about complex or controversial ideas?
However, we can not only blame capitalism for this. Most people are conformists if they can be. Most people don’t care about these things, as long as they don’t affect them (or at least they think they don’t).
The easiest thing to do is to just accept what you’ve been told (usually without much thought). This mob-mentality is why people who have no clue about politics think that Joe Biden is raising gas prices and causing inflation. These people couldn’t name a single country producing gas, much less a reason why the prices are going up. It’s much easier to blame someone you think is at fault, especially when news anchors or someone else is constantly shoving the idea down your throat.
The question comes up again, is it easier to think about it and research it or just to accept what you’ve been told? The answer is quite obvious.
Upholding the status-quo has always been easier for the average person.
Mainstream media and “intellectual” figureheads are vectors through which many opinions and ideas spread, whether these ideas are good or bad.
The “intellectuals” share opinions and most people just accept them.
An example is the recent situation in Russia. Years ago the media constantly criticised Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but after the Russian invasion, everyone is calling him a hero. This is because Russia has been an antagonist in American politics for a while. My point here isn’t about why Russia has been antagonized, only the fact that they have been and most people have accepted this idea without much thought. Whether this is warranted or not is irrelevant - people just think what’s normal and easy to think. People dislike Russia because they’re told to, not because of any actual reasons. (I find it necessary to state that I do not support Russia either, but I have actual reasons other than it being what I’m told to think, and I have reasons other than the situation in Ukraine).
A real intellectual should discuss and debate ideas, but also encourage critical thinking. Any person or institution that says that they should not be questioned is malicious. Religion is a primary example of this.
Modern media exists to morph public opinion. They tell you what they want you to think. Some Americans genuinely think that America is the best country in the world. This makes people from other countries laugh, because America voted against food being a human right in the UN, and because of our ridiculous healthcare system.
Please think for yourself. Read about what you’re being told, and make sure to avoid bias as best as possible. Look into points from all sides.
It frustrates me how many people I hear everyday parrot common mainstream media talking points.
