If Joseph Goebbels was still alive, he would doubtless be amazed at how far television networks have been able to go in propagandizing on behalf of the state. Faux News has a continuing logo – “The Cost of Freedom” – as an umbrella for its reports on the so-called “war on terror.” From an increased surveillance of people’s lives and expanded police state powers to the endless wars against endless enemies in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Lebanon – and whatever other victims await in the wings – what possible connection can be said to exist between an engorged leviathan and freedom? Who is “free” when the state involves itself in the killing of tens of thousands of children and other innocents?
Orwell saw, perhaps better than any others, how the corruption of language is essential to the corruption of society via the expansion of state power. “War is peace” has become widely accepted in our world (the Strategtic Air Command’s motto “Peace Is Our Profession” demonstrates how easily dull minds can metabolize contradictions). In case there are any nascent perceptive minds about to fall through the net of statist lies and unreason, Faux News will be there to catch them up with slogans to remind us that police-state tyranny and butcherous warfare are part of “The Cost of Freedom.”
I do wonder if any of the twits who are paid to shovel this nonsense into the public mind are aware of the intellectually dishonest nature of their employment. I suspect not. Perhaps the hairdos are designed to cover lobotomy scars!
9:38 am on August 12, 2006
