Opinion (Noam Chomsky, American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, logician, political commentator and anarcho-syndicalist activist):

“Based on the work of American linguist Noam Chomsky, here is a list of “10 strategies of manipulation” by the media:

1. A STRATEGY OF DISTRACTION.

The key element of social control is the strategy of distraction that is to divert public attention from important issues and changes decided by political and economic elites, through the technique of flood or flooding continuous distractions and insignificant information. ‘Keep the public’s attention distracted away from the real social problems and captivated by issues of no importance. Keep the public busy, busy, busy, no time to think, back to the farm with the other animals (citing text “silent weapons for quiet wars”).’

2 – CREATE PROBLEMS AFTER OFFERING SOLUTIONS.

This method is also called ‘problem-reaction-solution.’ This creates a problem, a ‘situation’ due to cause some reaction in the public, so that it is the principal measure that they will want to accept. For example: let develop or intensify urban violence, or arrange bloody attacks, so that the public is focused on the principles of safety, laws and policies to the detriment of freedom. Or also create an economic crisis to accept the necessary evil of recession, loss of social rights and the dismantling of public services.

3 – STRATEGY GRADATION.

To make it accept an unacceptable extent, simply apply it gradually, a dropper at a time, in consecutive years. This is how radically new socioeconomic conditions (neoliberalism) were imposed during the 1980s and 1990s: the minimal state, privatization, precariousness, flexibility, mass unemployment, inability to pay decent wages, and many changes that cause a revolution would not have to be implemented all at once.

4 – THE STRATEGY OF DEFER.

Another way to make an unpopular decision acceptable is to present it as ‘painful and necessary’ in obtaining immediate public acceptance for a future application. It is easier to accept a future sacrifice than an immediate sacrifice.

5 – ADDRESSING THE PUBLIC AS YOUNGER CHILDREN.

Most of the advertising directed at the general public uses discourse, arguments, characters, and particularly children’s intonation, often close to their weaknesses, as if the viewer were a very young child or mentally impaired. The more you mislead the viewer, the more advertising tends to adopt an infantile tone.

6 – USING THE EMOTIONAL ASPECT MUCH MORE THAN A REFLECTION.

Making use of the emotional aspect is a classic technique to cause a short circuit on rational analysis, and finally to the critical sense of individuals. Moreover, the use of emotional register allows you to open the door to the unconscious to deploy graft or ideas, desires, fears and fears, compulsions, or induce behaviors…

7 – KEEP THE PUBLIC IN IGNORANCE AND MEDIOCRITY.

Make the public incapable of understanding technologies and methods in order to keep them controlled and in bondage. ‘The quality of education given the lower social classes should be as poor and mediocre as possible so that the gap of ignorance that lies between the lower classes and the upper social classes is and remains out of reach of the lower classes.’

8 – STIMULATES THE PUBLIC TO BE IN COMPLACENT MEDIOCRITY.

Promoting the public to think that fashion is the act of being stupid, vulgar and uneducated.

9 – STRENGTHENING REVOLT BY SELF-BLAME.

Make the individual believe that he alone is to blame for their own misfortune because of the failure of their intelligence, their abilities, or their efforts. Thus, instead of rebelling against the economic system, the individuals themselves are helpless and blame themselves, which leads to a depressive state with its effects being to inhibit its action.

My Comment: One can see how great the role of the Internet is in manipulating people. But this only accelerates the exit from the power of Pharaoh or egoism, because our desires and thoughts develop not by the media, but by the law of development, which leads necessarily to the purpose of creation.
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