Disrupt Propaganda | Mickey Z.
Mickey Z. -- World News Trust
June 12, 2015
“The media's the most powerful entity on earth … because they control the minds of the masses.” (Malcolm X)
The other day, I watched this video by UnnaturalVegan about Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) and their “Disrupt Speciesism” approach to activism:
I know and like and have worked with some of the people involved with DxE and thus have no interest in engaging in what may be misconstrued as a personal attack. Therefore, since the above video summed up a lot of my unexpressed feelings, I’ll focus mainly on something UnnaturalVegan touches on: How conditioning not only creates beliefs but can also render many forms of activism ineffective and inaccessible.
I say this because the “Disrupt Speciesism” approach is not unlike the vast majority of activist methods in that it does not appear to factor in the relentless presence and insidious power of corporate propaganda.
For context, please allow me to introduce a brief excerpt from Occupy this Book.
Sordid little love triangle
The pervasive and willful distribution of misinformation is symptomatic of life within a society dominated by a corporate-run press.
Whether you label them liberal or conservative, most major media outlets are large corporations owned by or aligned with even larger corporations, and they share a common strategy: selling a product (an affluent audience) to a given market (advertisers).
Therefore, we shouldn’t find it too shocking that the image of the world being presented by a corporate-owned press very much reflects the biased interests of the elite players involved in this sordid little love triangle.
That’s why every major daily newspaper/website has a business section, but not a labor section. Why at least once a week, those same newspapers/websites run an automobile section, but no bicycle section.
As a result, when the Dow Jones Industrial Average drops, it makes headlines. If the global extinction rate rises, it’s questionable if any news outlet will even consider mentioning it.
If you created a blueprint for an apparatus that utterly erased critical thought, you could make none more efficient and far-reaching than the American corporate media -- and please don't fall into the trap of only demonizing Fox News.
A major component of the free press illusion is the notion that some media outlets are more liberal while others are more right wing. Belief in this odious myth further limits the already limited parameters of accepted debate.
Reality: The media are as liberal or conservative as the corporations that own them.
Know your audience
To demonstrate how this analysis may -- and usually does -- play out in real time, let’s return to DxE and “Disrupt Speciesism.”
The tactic of entering a restaurant to loudly and tearfully talk about the death of a chicken and then shame patrons with the “It’s not food, it’s violence” chant ignores the daily, hourly conditioning I just described. The vast majority of humans in the United States (and thus in any restaurant being “disrupted”) perceive chickens are irrelevant -- certainly not in the same category as cats and dogs, for example.
They also perceive eating animal by-products as a normal and necessary part of human life. For most Americans, a plate of fried chicken is ordered and consumed with minimal or no contemplation assigned to such actions.
Why then would activists expect this unwilling and heavily conditioned audience to be receptive or even comprehend their anti-speciesist message? (Related question: How many non-activists have ever heard the term “speciesism” in their entire life?) The restaurant patrons will almost certainly feel disrespected, annoyed, confused, and even reassured that yes, those vegans really are as fanatical as everyone says they are. Let’s pull out our smart phones and shoot video to share and laugh at later -- as we chow down on a slice of pizza or bowl of ice cream.
Before anyone gets the false impression that I’m singling out DxE or vegans, let me state again: this tactical error extends far beyond the minuscule population of animal rights protestors.
Dissidents working on issues that draw much larger crowds and more much public discussion (e.g. anti-war protest) are still typically opting to disregard the power of propaganda. How likely is it that humans conditioned to reflexively support a “war on terror,” fear “evil-doers,” and support “our” troops will be moved by a handful of street activists holding anti-drone signs that (correctly) label the U.S. as the planet’s worst terrorist?
We’re not even speaking the same language.
Counter the dominant narrative
Yeah, I know… this is the point in the article when eyes are rolled and accusations are flung. Let me save you the trouble and do it for you: “There you go again, Mickey. You’re so negative. Why are you always hating on your fellow activists, especially when you don’t offer any solutions?”
(insert deep sigh here)
Way too many people imply that unless a commentator expounds a specific strategy for change, their opinion is worthless. This reaction misses the essential role critical analysis plays in a society where problems -- and their causes -- are so cleverly disguised. When discussing the future, the first step is often an identification and demystification of the past and the present.
Besides, what value would anyone’s "solutions" hold while we are still in the midst of myriad global crises? I like to imagine that if we began detaching ourselves from a system designed to destroy us (and all life) and began dismantling that system, we'd create a space in which we could recognize paths and options currently invisible to us.
That said, I often do make some very specific activist suggestions in my articles and will end this one by offering a few steps that have helped me challenge the programming -- and the privilege -- in my own life.
Do the work. This one goes out especially to white people and all men. It’s our job to educate ourselves, 24/7. If you’re white, stop expecting people of color to do the work for you. If you’re a man, don’t try to put the onus on women to explain why your words and actions are problematic. Doing the work yourself will allow you learn while still remaining open to new voices. (Related note: When called out on inappropriate or counterproductive behavior, don’t respond from a place of ego. Instead, see it as a chance for growth -- a life-changing opportunity to evolve into a more effective activist and empathetic earthling.)
More specific to propaganda:
Identify and tune out the sources of conditioning. Whether it’s CNN, Fox News, the New York Times, or any one of the myriad liberal web portals, detach yourself from the repetitive presence of propaganda. Corporate America is really good at programming. Let’s not make it any easier for them. Step away from the dominant narrative to clear some space in your mind and heart to ponder new ideas and entertain fresh perspectives.
Tune in to new sources, learn how to listen. The first requirement of listening is to stop talking. Stop drowning out other voices. Stop personalizing everything (Not all men! Not all white people! Not all cops!). Part of doing the work is seeking out new sources of information -- from alternative media to individuals with life experience you’ll never know. Listen, process, evolve.
Meet non-activists where they are. Once you’ve begun decoding and tuning out the propaganda in your life and committed to doing the work to listen to and learn from a wide range of sources, then what? As activists, I’d posit that the next step is to apply these lessons outside of our familiar circles. We need to conjure up new approaches that factor in conditioning and privilege to better connect with and learn from those we’re trying to reach.
Take a look around: It’s frighteningly obvious that our time-worn tactics are failing us and all life on Earth. As I recently wrote: What should we be doing? Outside of encouraging broader and broader intersectionality and coalitions, I don’t know. What I do know is this: What we are doing isn’t working -- and one of the primary reasons we’ve been tragically ineffective is our unwillingness to acknowledge and confront the role of capitalist conditioning.
Disrupt we must, but let’s begin with disrupting propaganda before moving on to: Disrupting hierarchy and disrupting the entire dominant culture.
Mickey Z. is the author of 12 books, most recently Occupy this Book: Mickey Z. on Activism. Until the laws are changed or the power runs out, he can be found on the Web here and here. Anyone wishing to support his activist efforts can do so by making a donation here.
"Disrupt Propaganda" by Mickey Z. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at https://worldnewstrust.com/disrupt-propaganda-mickey-z.
- CreatedFriday, June 12, 2015
- Last modifiedMonday, June 15, 2015
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