The Chris Hedges Report Podcast with Patrick Lawrence Examines How the Western Press Has Become a Propaganda Tool of the War Industry and Ukrainian Government
The Chris Hedges Report Podcast with Patrick Lawrence Examines How the Western Press Has Become a Propaganda Tool of the War Industry and Ukrainian Government
To be fair, it didn't start with Ukraine, although the propaganda with respect to that war has reached a fever pitch not seen since the days of Josef Göbbels.
For instance, the reason news reports on Afghanistan switched from "Muh War On Terror" to "Muh Afghan Women And Girls" was because the Pentagon commissioned research that concluded that "women's rights" were more likely to motivate Americans to support the war by that point.
At last, my two favorite journalism meet. This was a treat. I greatly appreciate your dedication to truth and the courage you’ve shown delivering your work to the public. It has become increasingly challenging for those who respect a free press to reach the people and plenty of people crave it. Please don’t give up. If ever there was a time for the evidence based facts, real-deal journalism it is today. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Excellent to hear Patrick Lawrence, who has been one beacon for me, simply because he is precise about language (and of course, the ethics of journalism). Chris: I've read and seen a lot of you since reading a review of your book War is a Force that Gives Us Meaning in the NYRB it feels like decades ago, and admired most of it. I cannot wish more for you to engage with Scott Ritter. I have felt several times that your knowledge of the Ukraine war, including its motives but also its progress, misses a lot for its lack of attention to the kind of extraordinarily detailed analysis from a person of great integrity (not to mention, a track record like virtually none other).--Francis
In “Writing the Truth: Five Difficulties”, Bertolt Brecht stated:
“Nowadays, anyone who wishes to combat lies and ignorance and to write the truth must overcome at least five difficulties. He must have the courage to write the truth when truth is everywhere opposed; the keenness to recognize it, although it is everywhere concealed; the skill to manipulate it as a weapon; the judgment to select those in whose hands it will be effective; and the cunning to spread the truth among such persons. These are formidable problems for writers living under Fascism, but they exist also for those writers who have fled or been exiled; they exist even for writers in countries where civil liberty prevails.”
Throughout modern history, hasn't most war coverage by the media been "fake news"? Propaganda spread by news organizations in cahoots with nation states did not start with Ukraine. It is however great to have trusted and ethical truth seekers like Mr. Hedges to shed light on the specific lies and hypocrisy that the public is constantly exposed to!
PS: Chris summary on why such unprecedented total mainstream media censorship is outstanding !!
From anti-war Vietnam movement, to “embedded journalists”, to know open involvement of top CIA operatives and various generals in censorship and propaganda -- all masks have been removed.
"The press in the U.S. and most of Europe slavishly echoes the opinions of a ruling elite and oversees a public discourse that is often unhinged from the real world. It openly discredits or censors anything that counters the dominant narrative about Ukraine" [and everything else that would be inconvenient to the ruling elite].
I'm an activist, and they too face similar ethical issues that professional journalists do.
I make arguments. I select facts. I omit facts. I interpret facts. But I don't make them up. I don't lie. I don't deny or misrepresent science. I try not to make ad hominem attacks. There are places I won't go.
There is a false line being drawn between activists and journalists.
That western governments increasingly rely upon overt censorship and naked repression is a sure sign of weakness and not strength.
To be fair, it didn't start with Ukraine, although the propaganda with respect to that war has reached a fever pitch not seen since the days of Josef Göbbels.
For instance, the reason news reports on Afghanistan switched from "Muh War On Terror" to "Muh Afghan Women And Girls" was because the Pentagon commissioned research that concluded that "women's rights" were more likely to motivate Americans to support the war by that point.
At last, my two favorite journalism meet. This was a treat. I greatly appreciate your dedication to truth and the courage you’ve shown delivering your work to the public. It has become increasingly challenging for those who respect a free press to reach the people and plenty of people crave it. Please don’t give up. If ever there was a time for the evidence based facts, real-deal journalism it is today. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Excellent to hear Patrick Lawrence, who has been one beacon for me, simply because he is precise about language (and of course, the ethics of journalism). Chris: I've read and seen a lot of you since reading a review of your book War is a Force that Gives Us Meaning in the NYRB it feels like decades ago, and admired most of it. I cannot wish more for you to engage with Scott Ritter. I have felt several times that your knowledge of the Ukraine war, including its motives but also its progress, misses a lot for its lack of attention to the kind of extraordinarily detailed analysis from a person of great integrity (not to mention, a track record like virtually none other).--Francis
Mu two favorite high-integrity journalists -- national assets.
Stand with Russia -- it fights for all of us against bipartisan US War party.
In “Writing the Truth: Five Difficulties”, Bertolt Brecht stated:
“Nowadays, anyone who wishes to combat lies and ignorance and to write the truth must overcome at least five difficulties. He must have the courage to write the truth when truth is everywhere opposed; the keenness to recognize it, although it is everywhere concealed; the skill to manipulate it as a weapon; the judgment to select those in whose hands it will be effective; and the cunning to spread the truth among such persons. These are formidable problems for writers living under Fascism, but they exist also for those writers who have fled or been exiled; they exist even for writers in countries where civil liberty prevails.”
https://monthlyreview.org/2017/06/01/this-is-not-populism/
Throughout modern history, hasn't most war coverage by the media been "fake news"? Propaganda spread by news organizations in cahoots with nation states did not start with Ukraine. It is however great to have trusted and ethical truth seekers like Mr. Hedges to shed light on the specific lies and hypocrisy that the public is constantly exposed to!
PS: Chris summary on why such unprecedented total mainstream media censorship is outstanding !!
From anti-war Vietnam movement, to “embedded journalists”, to know open involvement of top CIA operatives and various generals in censorship and propaganda -- all masks have been removed.
"The press in the U.S. and most of Europe slavishly echoes the opinions of a ruling elite and oversees a public discourse that is often unhinged from the real world. It openly discredits or censors anything that counters the dominant narrative about Ukraine" [and everything else that would be inconvenient to the ruling elite].
I'm an activist, and they too face similar ethical issues that professional journalists do.
I make arguments. I select facts. I omit facts. I interpret facts. But I don't make them up. I don't lie. I don't deny or misrepresent science. I try not to make ad hominem attacks. There are places I won't go.
There is a false line being drawn between activists and journalists.
I appreciate you Chris.
Why would the head of Amnesty International's Kiev office resign and disavow his Agency's own report?