4 ms·

The real story is that we're all safer than ever[1], but there are huge sums of money being poured into a media structure designed to keep us afraid and tuned i

The real story is that we're all safer than ever[1], but there are huge sums of money being poured into a media structure designed to keep us afraid and tuned in. [1] http://www.pri.org/stories/2014-10-23/world-actually-safer-ever-and-heres-data-prove http://www.pri.org/stories/2014-10-23/world-actually-safer-e...

thatcat 10y ago
Wonder why? Considering the conclusion the media generally comes to is: >“Perhaps the most cost-effective measure is policing and intelligence — to stop them before they reach the target,” Mr. Stewart said.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
adevine 10y ago
> but there are huge sums of money being poured into a media structure designed to keep us afraid and tuned in. Perhaps true, but I see this argument a lot by engineering folks, and I think it misses a major point of human nature. Large, violent, deadly events, in places where you completely don't expect them, are always going to be a lot scarier than the random low-lying "background" events, like car accidents. The fact that the world is so safe only magnifies how unexpected and terrifying it would be to walk around enjoying the mundane events of modern life - going to a concert, taking a trip somewhere, dancing in a club - and suddenly meet a violent death.
illumin8 10y ago
“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.” - Joseph Goebbels “Think of the press as a great keyboard on which the government can play.” - Joseph Goebbels “The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly - it must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over” - Joseph Goebbels

thatcat 10y ago

Wonder why? Considering the conclusion the media generally comes to is: >“Perhaps the most cost-effective measure is policing and intelligence — to stop them before they reach the target,” Mr. Stewart said.

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

adevine 10y ago

> but there are huge sums of money being poured into a media structure designed to keep us afraid and tuned in. Perhaps true, but I see this argument a lot by engineering folks, and I think it misses a major point of human nature. Large, violent, deadly events, in places where you completely don't expect them, are always going to be a lot scarier than the random low-lying "background" events, like car accidents. The fact that the world is so safe only magnifies how unexpected and terrifying it would be to walk around enjoying the mundane events of modern life - going to a concert, taking a trip somewhere, dancing in a club - and suddenly meet a violent death.

illumin8 10y ago

“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.” - Joseph Goebbels “Think of the press as a great keyboard on which the government can play.” - Joseph Goebbels “The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly - it must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over” - Joseph Goebbels