This "debate" is a typical illustration of a primary principle of sophisticated propaganda. In crude and brutal societies, the Party Line is publicly proclaimed and must be obeyed -- or else. What you actually believe is your own business and of far less concern. In societies where the state has lost the capacity to control by force, the Party Line is simply presupposed; then, vigorous debate is encouraged within the limits imposed by unstated doctrinal orthodoxy. The cruder of the two systems leads, naturally enough, to disbelief; the sophisticated variant gives an impression of openness and freedom, and so far more effectively serves to instill the Party Line. It becomes beyond question, beyond thought itself, like the air we breathe.
Noam Chomsky http://www.chomsky.info/articles.htm
stairway to heaven, led zeppelin
Saturday, May 12, 2007
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5 comments:
too many big words for me to understand. Im stupid. Whatever.
in simple terms it says that in an open dictatorship they tell you what to believe and if you don't they kill you. in a hidden dictatorship they assume a line of thought to be truth and limit the debate to limited possiblities. any thoughts outside the "partyline" are criticized as liberal or wacko. thus they control with an illusion of freedom.
but this isnt a dictatorship so I dont havta worry.
or maybe I dream of a dictatorship, Im not sure....
but the road to dictator ship is being opened by recent laws passed that allow disidents to be held without trial on offshore prisons. I think that's Steve's point.
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