Against the corporate mainstream media I see just one good weapon, and that is critical thinking. Teach your children to question, even doubt anything that's being taken as granted and this tyranny will never have the high ground on future generations.

The problem is mainly with how people are educated to think and react... they are being programmed to think like sheep and to respect authorities rather than to question them or simply say "no", to the point that many of us see questioning or "no" as being a form of violence. This is totalitarian-like mentality and is very, very dangerous for all of us.

Like with the whole issue of evolution VS creation... who actually dares questioning the beliefs from either side of the fence? Most people don't even do it, they rather pick a side, and defend as if it was their sports team, without ever verifying the basis of their beliefs. To me evolution is obviously the truth about the origin of the humnan race, but most of what's being said is based upon Darwin's theory which is far from being all accurate, with many plot holes, and has some deep supremacist subtext.

Originally posted by sos37
Thank God someone else one here is using their brain instead of jumping on the fear train. The bailout plan has the right intentions...

The right intentions?

Maybe for a powerful few, but for the bailouts are in no way an attempt at helping the majority of American people.

The problem is most Americans are extremely naive or in denial.

They can not accept the fact that these bailouts are a nothing but a going out of business bonus package for the Plutocracy.

I would suggest using your brain, even if the conclusions lead to "jumping on the fear train".

Do you think this is why the government wants us to do the digital TV switchover by February 17, 2009? For mass mind control of the nation? I see "Dawn of the Dead" happening in 2009. Kill your TV before it's the death of you!!!

I am relatively new to ATS and have been mostly posting comments on things I see as misguided or sorely misinformed takes on subject I have some knowledge of. I try to balance this by noting there are some very thoughtful people on this forum who have brought forth new insights that have made me think differently.

I have worked in media on many levels, from journalist, to editor and even publisher. I stopped watching television in the early 90s, read few newspapers, a fair number of books and magazines, and rely more and more on selective Internet sources for current information.

There are many books, certain magazines, and a few newspapers that have material highly critical of the distorted and biased information prevalent in the major broadcast media and their bedfellows the newspaper chains.

Agenda driven misleading presentation of news is as old as reporting to the public. As bad as it may be these days, it is far more open to scrutiny, criticism, and reprimand than ever before. 100 years ago, people like William Randolph Hearst were able to virtually manufacture wars based on how they reported certain world events via their newspaper chains.

We now attach such a stigma to a new bad word ‘brainwashing’, the systematic repeated forced convincing of a mass audience of something implicitly untrue. But when wasn’t this tactic employed? Was there some Golden Age of honest reporting I don’t know about? Weren’t religions, nationalism, racism, among the earlier manifestations of ‘supposed’ brainwashing? Wasn’t the 20th Century innovation the incorporation of advertising into information dissemination, so that the same techniques could be used to get millions to think they needed certain manufactured items and purchasable lifestyles?

Is the internet the bastion of free thinking without prejudice and agenda some claim it to be?

The first post to initiate this thread, back at the end of September, when the presidential race was still on, included this sentence that made me choke on my imaginary beer in hand:


"These zionist corporate illuminati ruled outlets are attempting to brainwash all of you..."


Now maybe this is just metaphorical talk I should be accustomed to on a conspiracy site, but my critical radar goes up on seeing this grouping of words. Many questions come to mind reading this throway phrae that goes un contested. Are the people who strongly advocate a Jewish homeland in the Sinai Peninsula and their supporters synonymous with the corporate media conglomerates like Sony, Gulf & Western, etc? Are they somehow linked to the Secret Society started by Adam Weishaupt, that many think controls major world events like wars, political movements?

Or have some people been convinced of this through systematic repitition of this notion by people who conceivably are paranoid, but who may also be trying to sell them some sort of informarion package like a DVD, book, etc? Is it possible there are sources demonstrating with selective information and slanted reporting, that many people have come to believe they are being conspired against by organized malign bodies that mislead the masses through their media outlets?

Just a though that occurred to me.


Mike F

similar to things like BluRay. there is no real reason why we had to move from DVD to BlueRay other than Sony decided to make us all buy new hardware. a movie looks exactly the same on a DVD as it does on BluRay, exactly. they have you thinking that there's a real perceptible difference between the two, and of course there is a difference, but it's so minor that it makes no difference and you only notice if you are looking for it.

I had HD tv before HD tv was even a catch phrase- like 1990s. I simply had a tv card I tossed in the computer- and tweaked the picture via the video card's controls. I could watch TV Land's old shows in hi def so high, I actually managed to read Fred Mertz's newspaper in one episode! I was able to make out words, for pity's sake. Blu Ray? just a techogimmick. it took me *years* to finally get dvds.... the computer card tv setup was providing me with a VERY good picture. Then, the vcr died, and I had to get a new drive for the computer- figured, why not. This was 2005/ 2006, BTW.

Another thing that threw me off the techno train. I ran across a few websites with examples of how a new soundcard would sound, or something similar. Too bad the example was run on an old Soundblaster hooked to Stereo equipment and speakers.... The effect was incredible, and of course, nothing was the same sounding... but I tweaked my old hardware and got nearly the same sound quality. Shiny and new only happens when the old stuff breaks or simply cannot handle the demands I throw at it. New software gobbles up more processing power and memory, when it *should* be the other way around....

As for the NLP... Whether it's a fact or the media's just making like a huckster at a circus, Remember what Ol' Obi Wan said: 'the Force (or in this case, smooth words, NLP, what have you) has an effect on the weak minded' Dont weaken your mind with consumerism, stupid tv shows, reality shows, and celebrity private life pornography (which in my opinion is just that- porn), and your mind will NOT be weak. Read books. Question things.

I didn't own a tv for several years- had it for a few months while I was stuck out in the middle of nowhere- and learned very, very quickly what was safe to watch, and what was turning my mind into sludge. I actually could feel it happening.....

i studied NLP for many years, founded it interesting
and a very good tool to help but it also can be use
for manipulating.......like many inovation

Very interesting post indeed - Forgive me here, I have just happened upon your website.
I would completely agree regarding media manipulation of the populations here on earth. I am like many here. i watch the news, reluctant to take what they tell as truth at face value. Looking beneath you see patterns to what they are trying to portray. Much like any person whom may be trying to persuade you into something which you know not to be true. When you look deeper you find the true intent of such an individual. The Networks are much the same in my opinion.
Also when do you ever recieve good news from CNN or BBC ? At the end.. well very seldom.!
It's good to see and hear that an ever increasing amount of people are wakening up all around the world - We can change the way of things and I firmly believe the near future will be of great importance to humankind and how we proceed as a race. We are the start. we used to talk about the iron curtain of the USSR, now it's the great twinkling colours of the media curtain in the west.
Anyway as I said i'm new to this site so thanks for baring with me. I'm of to sign up now. PEACE !