Headlines! America's war on America
My father was a newspaperman, later an editor. He said to me once "What matters most are the headlines – because that's all a lot of people read."
That still the case today, even though people rarely read newspapers anymore-- except online.
Therefore, the essence of propaganda is making sure that the headlines do not tell the story – the real story – but anchor public perceptions in an alternate reality.
Here's an example (Reuters)
If you Google, "Biden", "Russian sanctions" or similar terms-- you will get a range of headlines of this ilk, which indicate that Biden is attacking Russia economically to try and stop it supplying oil to its customers, especially through its so-called “shadow fleet", pictured here as a dark Armada.
Wow! OmiGod! Something MUST be done!
The assumption is that these sanctions will somehow hurt Russia. But the reality is different.
The "shadow fleet" is called "shadow" for a reason—it operates outside of ==or at least on the perimeters —of normal commerce, not encumbered by the need for Western insurance or having to comply much with Western regulations or financial systems It’s not that Biden doesn’t know this. But he hates Trump more than Putin. It’s Trump that he’s sticking it to.
In any case, sanctions will not stop the flow of Russian oil.
It will maybe cause a marginal increase in the cost of supply and delivery on the Russian side, easily accommodated and compensated for- but that theoretical increase will be leveraged downstream to increase oil prices to Western consumers overall. The cost of living will go up.
The West is set up like a casino — the “House” always wins. You always lose.
So, it’s going to hurt. The death of a thousand cuts. But…don’t blame your government or corporations — blame the Russians!
A true headline would have been:
In any case, Russia will benefit both near term and long term— and—while downstream corporations in the supply chain will also benefit benefit for now—later there will be a backlash. Who will suffer from that? You will. Below is graph from 12 years ago!
OK. America is at war with America. What could go wrong? Republicans and Democrats think they have everything under control.
Louix XVI thought he had everything under control, too!
Aux barricades
One thing for sure —Russia's ability to wage war will be in no way affected.
If anything, energy issues are going to weaken Banderite Ukraine even more and accelerate its demise – along with the demise of the European Union-- and NATO-- which in the end, will also weaken the US. This is a world war — and guess who’s losing.
When the Roman Empire was collapsing – it lost the provinces first – while trying to maintain the fiction of control and strength. By the Fifth Century, Romans themselves weren’t much interested in fighting —Rome’s best legions were Germanic mercenaries.
Now the US is trying to maintain a similar fiction of power. Like Rome it uses mercenaries as proxies — Ukrainians, Israelis, Syrians. That goes on as long as the US has money. But economic times are…well…as they are.
Hence, all this posturing about 21st century version of the Monroe doctrine and Manifest Destiny. Also fictions. Rome in decline had similar ones. But Rome opened its gates to the barbarians who turned out to be rather civilized. So…..
Chappy Comments
REALLY, Julian. My name is spelled “Chappy” — NOT “Chappy”. You’re fired as my Editor although you can still clean my toilet.
"When the Roman Empire was collapsing – it lost the provinces first – while trying to maintain the fiction of control and strength. By the Fourth Century, Romans themselves weren’t much interested in fighting —Rome’s best legions were Germanic mercenaries."
Incorrect.
In the fourth century AD Diocletian regrouped Rome and following this Constantine the Great established Constantinople in 325 AD and the Roman Empire was militarily stable.
You are correct that in the 5th century AD Romans 'weren't interested in fighting'-not because of apathy but because Rome, like the US or UK today was overrun by despotic immigrants and the sturdy Roman families over the years had been Genocided by competing Roman patrician families in the struggle for power to be Emperor.
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