Playing Chicken With Consumerism

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Denunciations of the allegedly politicized inclinations of the mainstream media continue from both traditional sides of the American political spectrum. The accusations are, by now, well-established. But, are they true?

Those in the mythical "left" like to portray our media conglomerates as barely-disguised cheerleaders for world-wide oppression, maniacal religiosity, and corporate-government fascism.

And denizens of the equally vaporous "right" continue their characterization of the mainstream media as a hotbed of anti-American Liberalism, godlessness, and degeneracy.

So…which is it? I say – neither. And not much in between.

The fact is, the mainstream media are remarkably free of systemic political propagandizing. They do, however, obsessively worship at the feet of an all-controlling, but endangered, master – our system of fiat currency.

For me, our monetary system represents a unified field theory of contemporary existence. It's almost like a theory-of-everything. Specifically, fiat currency has become the alpha and omega of modern consumerism.

It is therefore only natural that fiat money, and its devilish offspring, unbridled consumerism, have also become the philosophical cornerstone of the mainstream media. It is a foundation both violently defended and aggressively promoted.

For decades, the ever-expanding system of fiat currency, along with its attendant credit markets, has proven to be, I believe, the principal means through which to understand the forces that drive our national media, as well as our nation's political decision-making process.

At this very moment, we are witnessing one of history's eternal recurrences: the self-destruction of a fundamentally worthless currency – in this case, the US dollar. And sitting atop this collapsing mountain of paper is the US middle-class, a group that has chosen to play chicken with consumerism.

The mainstream media have always been a consumer-oriented (that is, a sales-oriented) phenomenon. In even a one-hundred-year-old Sears-Roebuck catalog, we witness an almost absurdly blatant (and peculiarly American) hucksterism. Today, we scoff at such crude salesmanship.

But, back then, the average consumer didn't have much cash. And he had minimal, if any, access to credit. So, if you wanted a family farmer to part with his hard-earned (and real) money, it was difficult to avoid using crude, over-the-top flights of sales-fancy.

It is interesting to observe the evolution of the world of advertising from a "carney barker" focus on verbal superlatives ("the greatest ever"; "the most amazing"; "the pinnacle of perfection"; etc.) to an almost exclusive reliance on "mood-enhancing" imagery and sound. Today's message? "Here's what it feels like, looks like, and sounds like…to experience the good-life. Don't be left behind."

And, so, bewitched by media-driven ownership-fantasies, the American consumer did, in fact, become increasingly richer, almost as if by magic. Richer in things, and richer in debt. He knew, deep down, that he was not richer in real terms. But, as the monetary printing presses accelerated into overdrive, he felt, at least, increasingly "credit-rich."

What had happened? Simple. The mainstream media and the central bankers had become, slowly-but-surely, joined at the hip. Television sitcoms had become, functionally, pitchmen for the Federal Reserve.

And what about the political contamination? How else are we to explain the outlandish uniformity between Democrats and Republicans? Are they all enslaved by the same shadowy lobbyists? Hardly. It's the one painfully obvious thing, the one thing in plain sight: the power of the Federal Reserve, a system desperate for its victims (America's proverbial working stiffs) to continue to spend and spend and spend.

Thus, an obscenely bloated, drug-addicted government, hooked on fiat currency, perennially craves the highest potency fix possible – war. Unsurprisingly, both sides of the aisle are only too happy to join voices – literally screeching for more blood and bullets. Nothing to see here…just move along!

We've all had old-timers (usually a grandfather) lecture us on the virtues of cash, and the evils of credit. But, never content to stand on mere common sense, we typical Americans (among whom I number), credit shoved in our faces, felt emboldened to ignore the wise counsel of our elders.

Imagine spending money you don't have, on things you don't need, using a piece of paper that's essentially – valueless. This is a concept so diabolically surreal, so Dada, it must have originated with a roving sixth-century performance artist or some gnarled monk-like sage. A mere "banker" could never have concocted something so outrageous. It's simply too…insanely artistic.

So what have we reaped for not listening to grandpa? Widespread financial impoverishment. Chattel slavery, American-style. The destruction of our manufacturing base. A service (that is, a slave) economy. A government whose scope and control would shame a Roman emperor. And always…war. Endless war.

And all those Great American middle-class consumers? What about them?

They have placed a bet that they can play chicken with the Federal Reserve – and win. But the Fed is driving a Mack truck. And they're driving a Fiat.

But…what if neither side "turns chicken?" What if there's a head-on collision?

Well, there's no need to wonder how it all turns-out. The credit streams have, in fact, run dry. And there has just been a massive head-on smash-up. The Fed has fled the scene of the accident, wounded.

And the middle-class consumer? He's lying on the highway in a coma, perhaps dreaming deeply of a fading image on his wide-screen TV.

At this moment in historical time, it looks as if America could use a really good emergency room physician. Someone who has delivered 4,000 babies instead of 4,000 body bags.

Someone who can deliver prosperity instead of bubbles. Freedom instead of slavery.

Most urgently, someone who can deliver us from the evil of fiat currency, which is at the root of perhaps most of our evils, both social and political.

Someone, come to think of it, like Ron Paul.

Anyway, it would do my heart good to see the mainstream media have to work really hard once again for its money.

After all, separating a blue-collar worker from his silver dollars has never been easy.

September 13, 2007