Propaganda

WHAT WE BELIEVE

George Orwell, author of the novel “1984,” is often quoted about the use of language to control societies and nations. His statements seem contemporary:

“The people will believe what the media tells them they believe.”

“The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them.”

“If he were allowed contact with foreigners, he would discover that they are creatures similar to himself and that most of what he has been told about them is lies. The sealed world in which he lives would be broken, and the fear, hatred, and self-righteousness on which his morale depends might evaporate.”

“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.”

“We have now sunk to a depth at which restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men.”

We are all subject to propaganda, to manipulation. As Orwell implied, sometimes we miss the obvious:

The U.S. has placed ballistic missiles, armaments, warships, and military bases directly on the borders of both Russia and China. Russia and China have not done the same to the U.S. This proves Russia and China are a threat.

The U.S. has over 750 military bases in foreign nations. China has 8 and Russia has 21. This proves the US wants peace and China and Russia are trying to conquer the world.

In 1989 when the Soviet Union allowed the dismantling of the Berlin wall, the US promised that NATO would not expand “one inch to the east.” Immediately following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the U.S. began military expansion to the east and NATO now includes most of the nations that were formerly part of the Soviet Union. This proves Russia wants to take over eastern Europe.

The US war on Vietnam under several U.S. presidents was based on lies. An estimated 3 million Vietnamese along with 58 thousand Americans were killed. The U.S. use of agent orange and napalm was the largest use of chemical weapons in history. The US led NATO bombing of Yugoslavia under Bill Clinton was based on lies and violated international law. Thousands were killed by U.S. arms. The U.S. war on Iraq under George W. Bush was based on lies about “weapons of mass destruction.” An estimated 1 million Iraqis, many of them civilians, were slaughtered by America. The U.S. war in Afghanistan under Bush and Obama was based on lies. Tens of thousands of innocent Afghanis died, cities were leveled, and the nation lies in ruins. The bombing of Libya under Obama was based on lies. Libya had been the richest, most productive nation in Africa. Tens of thousands died, the nation was destroyed. Terrorism, slavery, and child sex trafficking are now rampant throughout Libya. All of this proves Vladimir Putin should be tried as a war criminal.

In 1962 under John Kennedy, the U.S. attempted an invasion of Cuba and threatened nuclear Armageddon because Russia had placed ballistic missiles on the sovereign island state that could level Washington or New York in 10 minutes. This proves that Russia has no right to be upset that the S. has ballistic missiles in Poland and Romania that are 7 minutes from destroying Moscow and was planning on missile installations even closer in Ukraine.

The U.S. is spending hundreds of millions placing missiles and arms on the internationally recognized Chinese island of Taiwan and running warships through the Taiwan Straits. This proves China is trying to take Taiwan.

And from journalist Caitlan Johnstone: It’s okay for the US to keep waging wars, destroying nations, starving civilian populations with economic sanctions, instigating proxy wars, arming neo-Nazis and violent jihadists, staging coups and persecuting journalists, because if it doesn’t do those things the world might be taken over by evil tyrants.

Returning to Orwell:

“In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”

“If you can feel that staying human is worthwhile, even when it can’t have any result whatever, you’ve beaten them.”