Media Manipulation of the Public

The author of this brief essay was asked to read the work of C. Wright Mills and then consider a question. The work of Mills is about the “promise” of sociology. The question to be answered is how the author would go about collecting and deciphering the news. The two questions might not seem related. At the very least, the specific work and verbiage of Mills and the question might not be related, at least in the eyes of some. However, they most certainly are. The people that emerge and trumpet their viewpoints in the media hold a certain amount of power. This would include what is said (or not said) in a given news story. While the statement of mills about which men and will “prevail” may seem mundane to some, it is something that absolutely explains the chaotic and often toxic news and media sphere that exists right now.

The media as it currently exists is not completely new and unique when it comes to American or general human history. The same thing can and should be said of sociology. There is also the fact that the internet and modern communications technology has allowed messages and knowledge to scream at record speeds. However, it has also allowed the worse of humanity and society to spread their message with the same speed and vigor. Unfortunately, this would include many members of the media and political realm. When Wright asks the question “what varieties of men and woman now prevail in this society and in this period, the candid and informed answer to that question is that it is very much a mixed bag (Mills). There is a common mantra or belief among some parts of the populace that society, by design, is divided in about a 80/20 or 75/25 split. In any event, the larger group are the people that lead and direct the larger group. This direction is a combination of open and honest communication along with a lot of mixed motives, underlying biases and so forth. In short, what is stated in terms of values and done in terms of actions is often contradicted and controlled by what is really going on underneath of the surface. For example, there is the stated idea among some that the rich, powerful and media barons are just trying to guide, influence and distract the bulk of the rest of the people rather than really tip their hand as to what is going on. These people are often on one extreme or another. Regardless of the extreme, there is less than optimal attention to reality and a full picture of what is really going on.

When it comes to reading and viewing the news, one has to understand that the above is most certainly a thing. Even if there is not some grand conspiracy of distraction and manipulation going on, it is certainly happening on a smaller scale. One could use news as an example. Fox News, of course, trends to the right side of the political spectrum. On the other side, MSNBC would trend left. There are also sites that are somewhere in the middle. RealClear is a good example. They do some of their own content. However, they also post a lot of links from many different websites, blogs and media venues. Some are right of center, some are left of center and some are a mishmash of one form or another. The trick is to know the game that all of those media outlets are playing. Rather than being a puppet or a lemming, people should know that the political and media parties out there are just goading and playing people. It is only through being informed and cognizant of that can someone look at the news and get a fix on what is really occurring.