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Topic: Ancient Enemies - Modern Media (Read 343 times) |
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Luvey
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Ancient Enemies - Modern Media
« Thread started on: Oct 31st, 2009, 01:57am » |
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I just came across this interesting article.
Ancient Enemies - Modern Media
Structural Corruption - Understanding the Mass Media
What prospect joy or peace, Shantideva asks, if the “ancient enemies” of greed, hatred, and ignorance “find their lodging safe within my heart”?
And what prospect joy or peace if the same enemies find their lodging safe at the heart of the political and economic institutions that dominate our lives?
Consider that the mass media, for example, is made up of a small number of large corporations owned by even larger parent companies, and is deeply dependent on the support of corporate advertisers. The primary democratic responsibility of this “free press”? To report impartially on a world dominated by corporate power!
Robert Hinkley, 23 years a corporate securities attorney, explains how corporate law means that managers “have a legal duty to shareholders, and that duty is to make money.” Failing this duty, Hinkley writes, can leave directors and officers open to being sued by shareholders:
“Corporate law thus casts ethical and social concerns as irrelevant, or as stumbling blocks to the corporation’s fundamental mandate... It is the law that leads corporations to actively disregard harm to all interests other than those of shareholders. When toxic chemicals are spilled, forests destroyed, employees left in poverty, or communities devastated through plant shutdowns, corporations view these as unimportant side effects outside their area of concern. But when the company’s stock price dips, that’s a disaster.” [1]
Corporate law, in other words, establishes unrestrained greed not merely as an objective but as an “obligation” of corporate activity. And given, as Shantideva tells us, that selfish greed is the immortal enemy of compassion, love, reason, and happiness, then the unrelenting pursuit of profit must surely result in suffering.
Matrceta, the great poet and disciple of Aryadeva, predicted a remarkable set of conditions for a world overrun by greed in this way:
“Fierce robbers and enemies of the land abound, and those with wealth and ease cannot enjoy it. Truly beings suffer: all aspects of their lives become frightful. The rains fall out of season, and hailstorms endanger travellers. Cows do not give milk, the seasons are disrupted, and grain does not grow upon the earth. Medicines become ineffective: the more essential they are, the weaker they become. Controversies proliferate; arguments lacking logic or truth take over, and evil prevails.” [2]
As the globalization of capitalist greed proceeds apace, as huge smogs hang over entire nations in South East Asia, as giant plumes of low-level ozone swirl around the globe and we experience extreme phenomena associated with rapidly rising global temperatures, these predictions make arresting reading.
Read the full article at:
http://www.stateofnature.org/ancientEnemies.html
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gainer
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Re: Ancient Enemies - Modern Media
« Reply #1 on: Nov 2nd, 2009, 09:30am » |
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Very interesting Luvey. I believe the issue with the media today is it is not really "free press". It is like everything nowadays controlled by as you say the corporations.
Take a look at this link these few companies control a lot of stuff.
http://la.indymedia.org/news/2003/04/47530.php
Not mentioned here was Viacom which is also a major power. Also not mentioned that some of these companies have stockholders with competting companies so that a select few shareholders that have branched out to all these companies in fact own pretty much own all media.
The only way you can really find "free press" is on the internet which is not always reliable. Even the small local newspapers which are dying because of the internet are getting there information mainly from the AP
and guess who controls the AP, the corporations.
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Raf
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Re: Ancient Enemies - Modern Media
« Reply #2 on: Nov 2nd, 2009, 10:31am » |
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We saw this in action with the Stephenville, Tx sightings. When the local newspaper let the lead reporter covering the sighting and investigation go for no reason. Subsequent investigation showed that the paper had been recently bought out by an Australian media giant who had invested heavily in real estate along the new proposed Interstate 69 corridor from Mexico to the Midwest. They were using the “bully pulpit” of the paper to push for a project that was being resisted by landowners.
But..again..its kind of a hidden control on American Media for foreign interests. Inasmuch as any of these multinational conglomerates recognizes nationa interests.
Raf
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Luvey
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Re: Ancient Enemies - Modern Media
« Reply #3 on: Nov 2nd, 2009, 11:08am » |
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Hi gainer and Raf
I use to work for a small town newspaper which at one stage was privately owned, but the big newspaper corporations bought up all the small town newspapers…. News would pour in on the fax machine all day from higher up the ladder…. The poor sales reps were pushed and pushed to make more money by selling advertising as they had a target to meet…. But each year the target would go higher and higher… I mean, how much advertising can one sell in a small town? These big corporations are only interested in one thing and that is money…. They are heartless organisations. Staff were pushed to the limit…. Do the big corporations care….nope.
Honestly these days I don’t know if I trust the things I read in the news anymore….
Quote:| We saw this in action with the Stephenville, Tx sightings. When the local newspaper let the lead reporter covering the sighting and investigation go for no reason. Subsequent investigation showed that the paper had been recently bought out by an Australian media giant who had invested heavily in real estate along the new proposed Interstate 69 corridor from Mexico to the Midwest. They were using the “bully pulpit” of the paper to push for a project that was being resisted by landowners. |
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Rupert Murdoch? I am fairly sure he owns pretty much all the news outlets in Australia too. Maybe not all but close to it…. I haven’t done a search to see.
That was pretty rotten what they did to Angela Joiner, but its good to know she has moved on to better things. Maybe they did her a service by firing her… although it didn’t appear that way at the time. Some things although they seem really bad at the time can be a blessing in disguise. I thought it absolutely stunk what they did to her.
Luvey
EDIT: I just remembered that when I worked at the newspaper there was talk that he was buying up papers around the world...to own the whole kit and kaboodle...
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| « Last Edit: Nov 2nd, 2009, 11:11am by Luvey » |
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bonehead
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Re: Ancient Enemies - Modern Media
« Reply #4 on: Nov 2nd, 2009, 11:36am » |
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Wow Luvey, this is pretty hard hitting and absolutely true. Thanks!
I especially liked the quote from Matrceta where it says: "Controversies proliferate; arguments lacking logic or truth take over, and evil prevails."
Boy, it kind of reminds me of the hysterical debate over health care in this country where the popular press convinced so many sheeple that universal health care would be "bad" for them. So, what we are getting is not reform, but another huge windfall gift to the parasitic insurance companies who produce nothing of value, but DO their best to insure that the people who most need health care, are denied it.
So, the citizens in fear of government "death panels" insured that we still have death panels, tied to the corporate need for profits. In essence, this means that we have decided that corporate profits are MUCH more important than the health of the citizenry.
Ah yes, evil prevails.
Those who pull the strings on collective knowledge control everything. We are, essentially, no different from the poor cows raised on corporate farms. We are fattened up, fed foods and drugs that are not good for us, raised in stressful unnatural conditions and finally, sacrificed for the great international false deity: money. Money, a "commodity" that does not exist at all except by our obedient collective agreement.
But go ahead folks: listen to the angry white men, the Bill O'Reillys the Glen Becks and the Shawn Hannitys, the shrill corporate shills who insure that we choose the issues which will most assure our continued enslavement. Be a handy tool of the prevailing rulers of all, the greed mongers, who use us up to support their excessive life-styles, then cast us aside to rot and die in pestilence when we get too old and are no longer useful tools for their needs.
Gosh, it kind of makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, eh? 
The real enemy of humanity is our own ignorance. But the press has an overriding imperative to keep us that way. And so it goes.....
Bonehead
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| « Last Edit: Nov 2nd, 2009, 11:46am by bonehead » |
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"The most incomprehensible thing about the universe is that it is comprehensible."
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creolelady
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Re: Ancient Enemies - Modern Media
« Reply #5 on: Nov 2nd, 2009, 9:24pm » |
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I seldom watch TV news anymore because of the stupidity i see on it. Fox is just loud and obnoxious and disgusting in my opinion...notice, I did say my opinion. Bonehead, you sure labeled them well...the angry white men. They spread anger fear, paranoia and hatred. That's about all they are good for.
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Luvey
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Re: Ancient Enemies - Modern Media
« Reply #6 on: Nov 3rd, 2009, 12:33am » |
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Hi Boney
Great post!
Quote:| I especially liked the quote from Matrceta where it says: "Controversies proliferate; arguments lacking logic or truth take over, and evil prevails." |
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That particular quote really hit home to me…it struck a chord deep within. Isn’t that exactly what we are seeing in the world today?
Quote:| The real enemy of humanity is our own ignorance. But the press has an overriding imperative to keep us that way. And so it goes... |
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The old saying “ignorance is bliss” is dangerous in the world today, and can get you into a lot of trouble. If you own and drive a car you have to know the road traffic rules, and the laws of owning a car. If you own land, you must know the laws concerning owning land…. And for every single thing under the sun there is a law, until people are paralysed with fear and frustration sets in. Like the deer in the headlights you so often mention.
To give an example… Last year a elderly man was outside watering his garden by hose, a neighbour thought he was watering on the wrong day…(not the day that laws allowed him to water on) so he went over and beat the old man up, and the old man died of a heart attack with all the shock. He was in fact watering on the right day. And then there is road rage… which I believe is a spin off from all these other things we are constantly pummelled with.
Corporations add fine print to everything to protect themselves from lawsuits. They get laws passed…. To cover themselves….using the might of money to control and manipulate.
You are right, media does seem to have an overriding imperative to keep us in fear…. One only has to read the news on any given day to know that. They home in on all the negative happenings. There must be many positive and wonderful things happening in this world to spur us on, to lift our spirits to even greater heights, but you never get to read about them. Always its about rapes, murder, war, rumours of war, terrorism, abductions, money/finance etc…. All designed to keep us paralysed in those headlights…. Along with the advertising frenzy…. We are continually pummelled with advertising, as we drive along roads, open magazines, turn on our computer, walk into stores, turn on our TV..we are pummelled with advertising and with negative news….
Even when we go shopping we have to read the fine print on every item we buy, which are loaded with harmful chemicals. Little concern is for the health of the people…. We cannot be ignorant or complacent…or the right word to use I suppose is “trusting”, because its clear that these huge corporations do not have our well being at heart. Their concern is to make money…period. Our lives and our health are our responsibility, for too long we have relied on those in power to tell us what to eat, what to drink, what to fear, what is good for us, and what is bad for us, what to believe, who to vote for….. We all have our own inner wisdom, and we all must learn to listen to it and stand our ground. I think its really about mankind coming of age….. There is definitely a quickening happening… how it will play out remains to be seen.
Hello Creolelady
Quote:| They spread anger fear, paranoia and hatred. |
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Never a truer statement.
Luvey
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gainer
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Re: Ancient Enemies - Modern Media
« Reply #7 on: Nov 3rd, 2009, 07:52am » |
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While, we may hate the corporations for being evil and all that jazz chances are we are apart of the issue as in my case. In that I am a hypocrit because I work for one of these conglomerates. It's easy to criticize but a lot harder to take action especially in the U.S where big corporations are so intergrated into society that you can't get around them. Chances are you work for that coorporation and some of you may not even know it. You can't go a stop sign without seeing a Wal-mart or a Mcdonalds. Trust me, I know about thier greed first hand. They make alot alot alot of money.
In the end I think it comes down to our leaders to step up and fight the good fight against them. Hard as it is with more and more cooporate control. I will begrudgenly take my measly dollar and taco till then. It may only be a taco but a man has to eat.
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| « Last Edit: Nov 3rd, 2009, 07:53am by gainer » |
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bonehead
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Re: Ancient Enemies - Modern Media
« Reply #8 on: Nov 3rd, 2009, 11:59am » |
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on Nov 3rd, 2009, 07:52am, gainer wrote:| While, we may hate the corporations for being evil and all that jazz chances are we are apart of the issue as in my case. In that I am a hypocrit because I work for one of these conglomerates. It's easy to criticize but a lot harder to take action especially in the U.S where big corporations are so intergrated into society that you can't get around them. Chances are you work for that coorporation and some of you may not even know it. You can't go a stop sign without seeing a Wal-mart or a Mcdonalds. Trust me, I know about thier greed first hand. They make alot alot alot of money. |
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Fortunately, I am not a part of that rat race. I thank my lucky stars for that!
on Nov 3rd, 2009, 07:52am, gainer wrote:| In the end I think it comes down to our leaders to step up and fight the good fight against them. Hard as it is with more and more cooporate control. I will begrudgenly take my measly dollar and taco till then. It may only be a taco but a man has to eat. |
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Oh Gainer, you poor naive soul! You expect the government to "fight" the corporations?
I would laugh if that were not such a tragic misconception. The government will not "fight" the corporations because the government and the corporations are simply two heads of the same entity. The corporations "own" the government here in the U.S. through the lobbying system. In any other country such a situation would be called corruption or bribery. Here it is called business as usual.
But that is not all. The corporate system and the political system have close ties through incestuous relationships as well. Policy makers, lobbyists, corporate executives and politicians and appointees all come from the same pool of "human resources". The people you expect to fend off the corporate monsters ARE corporate monsters when they are not busy doing the political thing.
Isn't that "special"?
Bonehead
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gainer
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Re: Ancient Enemies - Modern Media
« Reply #9 on: Nov 3rd, 2009, 12:29pm » |
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Good for you bonehead. Not everyone is as fortunate as you. All I was trying to say it is a lot harder to get change from the bottom down then from the top up. If I sent a letter to the CEO of my company saying that he is overcharging his customers mainly because they have no choice in competition and because of these times that we should let up on overcharging and be more leniant to our customers my butt would be fired before I even had the chance to say "Holy crap! I just got fired!". Yes, it is our leaders duty to make the decisions for the whole not for the coorporations. Yes, they are controlled by the lobbyist but because a lobbyist reaches out thier hand doesn't mean that they should take. Look at people like Nader. There are leaders out there like him. Who is standing up to coorporations problem is he doesn't get a whole lot of attention. I wonder why the media won't pay attention to him? Maybe because the media is controlled by the coorporations themselves. If we had more people like him we could stand up to them. Its hard to stand up to people that are putting food on your plate.
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bonehead
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Re: Ancient Enemies - Modern Media
« Reply #10 on: Nov 3rd, 2009, 1:01pm » |
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on Nov 3rd, 2009, 12:29pm, gainer wrote:| Good for you bonehead. Not everyone is as fortunate as you. All I was trying to say it is a lot harder to get change from the bottom down then from the top up. If I sent a letter to the CEO of my company saying that he is overcharging his customers mainly because they have no choice in competition and because of these times that we should let up on overcharging and be more leniant to our customers my butt would be fired before I even had the chance to say "Holy crap! I just got fired!". Yes, it is our leaders duty to make the decisions for the whole not for the coorporations. Yes, they are controlled by the lobbyist but because a lobbyist reaches out thier hand doesn't mean that they should take. Look at people like Nader. There are leaders out there like him. Who is standing up to coorporations problem is he doesn't get a whole lot of attention. I wonder why the media won't pay attention to him? Maybe because the media is controlled by the coorporations themselves. If we had more people like him we could stand up to them. Its hard to stand up to people that are putting food on your plate. |
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Gainer,
I feel your pain brother. Yes, I do feel very fortunate. Did I say I was grateful? 
As for Ralph Nader and other people of like mind (like Dennis Kucinich) - yes they are out there. And yes, the press does marginalize them by refusing to talk about them, or whenever they do, implying that they are kooks. I actually voted for Nader in the 2004 election and would happily have voted for Kucinich in the last one if the centrist conservative Obama had not been championed by the press as the "New Liberal" - a thing which, ironically, he is not.
This manipulation of information is precisely what this thread is about.
But hey, if your situation makes you feel so used and unhappy, maybe it is time to change it? One job isn't the end of the world and since corporations value quarterly profits more than they do long time employees, your job may not be as secure as you think to begin with.
Believe me, peace of mind is a life need that is highly undervalued in our materialist culture. Working at a job that saps your self-worth is not a win-win situation by any stretch of the imagination. Take it from one who knows....
Bonehead
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"The most incomprehensible thing about the universe is that it is comprehensible."
ALBERT EINSTEIN
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ava
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Re: Ancient Enemies - Modern Media
« Reply #11 on: Nov 3rd, 2009, 3:33pm » |
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Boney,
off topic, but can you name me the book(s) where Nader was virtually deified ?
ava
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gainer
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Re: Ancient Enemies - Modern Media
« Reply #12 on: Nov 4th, 2009, 07:27am » |
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Thanks Bone. I hope to someday get out of the rat-race unfortunately that isn't anytime soon, perhaps someday though. Always wanted to fish maybe I will give that a try. Your absolutely right on the manipulation though. It has become so incorporated to our lives that we can't really get away from it. Both sublimily and directly we are engrossed with them. Government now is not ruled by the people any more it seems but by the coorporations. Just look how many private contractors are out in Iraq as soon as we took over.
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The truth is always exciting. Speak it, then. Life is dull without it. - Pearl S. Buck
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bonehead
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Re: Ancient Enemies - Modern Media
« Reply #13 on: Nov 4th, 2009, 11:40am » |
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on Nov 3rd, 2009, 3:33pm, ava wrote:Boney,
off topic, but can you name me the book(s) where Nader was virtually deified ?
ava |
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Ava,
? 
You seem to have a gift for missing my point, mangling my meaning, ignoring links or references, or pulling non-sequiturs out of my postings. The reason I do not always respond to your responses is because the answers you want are already in my posting, the references are in previous postings in the thread, or it is clear that you did not understand what I said and took small bits of my posting out of context - thus completely missing my point.
Maybe you need to read them more carefully and wait to digest them before you reply.
If you can point out anywhere I said that Nader was "deified", I will then answer your question. Until then, it is a non-sequitur and thus, nonsense...
Bonehead
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| « Last Edit: Nov 4th, 2009, 11:47am by bonehead » |
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"The most incomprehensible thing about the universe is that it is comprehensible."
ALBERT EINSTEIN
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ypestis
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Re: Ancient Enemies - Modern Media
« Reply #14 on: Nov 4th, 2009, 3:10pm » |
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Wonderful points made here.
I guess I am one of those "Angry White Males" (well kind of pinkish rather than white.)
Every day I meet poor people,without insurance,working jobs without benefits,abused by a criminal "justice"system that makes sure they are either in prison or on probation,in order to gain more wealth for the Prison Industrial Complex.
I then listen to them praising Rush Limbaugh,cheer-leading the war,and declaring themselves staunch Republicans.
In America,no one will cop to being poor.
Everybody is "middle-class".
You can go to a food-stamp office and the folks in the lobby will fight you at the drop of a hat,if you even hint they are less than middle class.
This means anytime a politician stands up and promises to help the "middle-class",everyone thanks they are included.
On the other hand,when the same politician begins to spout the "Lazy,wont work,welfare drawing bum" rhetoric, they just know he means their next door neighbor (ideally of another race.)
Frederick Douglass said:
"The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppose."
In this country their is plenty of opposition,all directed against reform and beneficial change.
So I am an "Angry White Male" also,but for very different reasons.
Still I have discovered that anger really does not unseat the oppressor,or free the oppressed.
It does keep the anti-acid and blood presure medication
companies in business,destroys relationships,
and withers souls.
From the prospect of physiological harm,
I doubt that the anger of a victim oppressed,is any less
toxic,than the anger of a Tyrant opposed.
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| « Last Edit: Nov 4th, 2009, 3:12pm by ypestis » |
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