John Stuart Mill English 19th Century
Philosopher Who Argued for Free Speech
News is not simply facts, that is meaningless
News are facts within a context or agenda
Modern socialism was advanced by Rousseau {Government Without Socialism. Discernlife.com.). The very heart of the French Revolution was not freedom, it was freedom from both the monarchy and the underlying belief that God has placed rulers in power (Ro 13:1-7). Though this revolution of tyranny imploded it did not die. It was advanced by Engels, Marx and others until it again attempted violent revolution in the early 20th century in the October Revolution resulting in the forming of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). It became apparent that violence did not translate into stable regimes. Western democracies were far more prosperous and enticing to people than the death and poverty inherent in socialism by force. However, these free democracies were also becoming socialistic but without ongoing violence and poverty. America paved the way after Lincoln’s War. President Lincoln muzzled the press and the courts during his war to consolidate the power of the central government over state governments eventually under the guise of abolishing slavery. After the war, Lincoln’s gains were solidified by his assignation and his immortalization in the press; even today it is nearly impossible to discuss Lincoln’s brutal illegal tactics in America. Yet, this laid the groundwork for the Progressive Era which would more correctly be called Socialism with the consent of the people. The basis for advancing socialism in a democratic country required the consent of the people and this meant a non-free press to shape citizen’s minds to accept socialism as Non-socialism. One other vital ingredient was an emergency that only a stronger central government could meet to protect citizens from the tyranny of others. It was during the 20th century that various techniques were developed, under the guise of theories, to make the press more efficient at channeling opposition into acceptance.
Controlling public opinion via the press is an old technique. It is a myth that newspapers were unbiased reporters of facts for the reader to analyze according to his, or her, own worldview. Newspapers have always been harbingers of bias, reporting events to shape opinion according to the owners desires. This myth grew out of 20th century war reporting which in itself was biased while masquerading as unbiased. President Wilson needed to involve America in World War I even though he campaigned against the war. Involvement in the war was necessary on two levels; to allow the government to implement socialistic laws under the guise of war emergency measures and to advocate for international socialism with the implementation of the League of Nations. The change in public opinion against the war to for the war was engineered by Walter Lippmann and Edward Bernays. Mr. Lippmann detailed his techniques in the book, Public Opinion, and Mr. Bernays in Propaganda. Bernays’ book detailed the use of media to manufacture desire for whatever was being presented. Since he was a nephew of Dr Freud his work rested on the scientism of psychology. However, Mr. Lippmann’s book detailed a socialistic agenda to manufacture worldview’s to people who cannot understand the world in its complexities. Events, facts, must be distilled through various filters for people to grasp the essence of an event which you want them to accept. Various forms of this theory were developed such as the Propaganda Model shown in the above graphic; this model was also a socialistic focused model to show the evils of capitalism. From these foundations was born a consolidated technique, theory, called agenda setting.
Not Theories and Not Competing; Complimentary
Agenda Setting Simply Tells You What to Think About
Agenda Setting realizes that it cannot tell people what to think; but, there are other techniques that accomplish that task when used simultaneously such as Critical Theory in public education. However, the purpose of this technique is to focus your attention on what to think about! The gatekeepers of agenda setting are the editors and commentators of various communication medias. Out of the morass of competing news items a few are chosen that will support a particular agenda, whether socialism, neoconservatism, national emergency goals, etc. as the technique is used by everyone. This item is Framed to guide one’s thinking. The public then goes to their particular media outlet to learn about the item and how to support their belief of the news item; i.e., to put it into a context congruent with their worldview: national socialism versus international socialism. Those media outlets that support opposing views are called Fake News when in fact all news is manufactured according to the agenda of each particular outlet! Just as there is no life free from sin; there is no press free from bias. The concept of a free press is the demand that all views be allowed even if voiced by one person; usually called a conspiracy theorist.
Since a democracy demands consensus, public opinion becomes paramount to effect rapid change, even if that change is detrimental to the liberty of the people who demand the changes! Media agenda setting occurs at the media outlet level; however, public agenda setting occurs when people demand events framed according to their worldview; hence, the public are not victims but active participants in their own deception! Finally, policy agenda setting occurs to influence, force, government to enact policies or laws according to the loudness of the noise being perceived. The Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Antifa riots in response to police enforcement events attempts to force the public to accept the violence and embrace anarchy, rioting. The acceptance of these aims by local, state and federal governments in order to defund police shows the interplay of these agenda setting agencies waltzing together. Those who oppose this agenda gravitate to their own agenda media outlets and counter-protest. With multiple media outlets many view points are presented; however, major media outlets are owned by a few elites making it difficult to find opposing viewpoints {Who Owns the News.}. Nor is there safety in the internet since many articles are repeats under various headings or many simply shill for their favorite agenda; thus they become part of the media agenda setting group; victims of their own worldviews.
Press is not monolithic thought control agency
Agenda Setting: Waltz of government, media and You
The Christian must understand that the Lost have a common mindset: they reject the truth of God and forge their own worldview based on lies as evidenced by increasing violence, degradation and death (Jn 8:44; Ro 1:18-28). Thus, all news promotes Satan’s agenda of confusion and delusion (2Th 2:3-12). We are not to come out of the World but neither are we to become caught up in the World so in our confused enthusiasm Christians actually promote Satan against Christ (Jn 17:14-16; 1Co 5:9-12; 2Co 6:14-18)! We are to teach the Gospel of Christ. If they will not receive Him, they will not have the mind necessary to see through Satan’s delusion. Like Paul, let us be determined to Preach Christ and Him crucified for our sin (1Co 1:21-25).