The one pervading evil of democracy is the tyranny of the party that succeeds, by force or fraud, in carrying elections... by Lord Acton :
http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Lord_Acton/--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I appreciate the above and indebtedly stated really , reflects the Lado peoples views on the site of " ODIDIA Reflections on the World Political Affairs " where the Western European Whites become may and appear to be the devil . Therefore the Western World Europeans have to start to re- think of their behaviour towards the Continent of Africa and the so called they believe against the Native owners of the African people of the Continent --------
Certainly the two Worlds must come to an understanding than otherwise --------
ODIDIA PYHILOSOPHY OF THE PEOPLE OF THE OLD KINGDOM OF LADO IN AFRICA AND HERE AS REPORTED :
Don't Believe The Hype >> The demons dilemma pt.1
The demons dilemma pt.1
How does one maintain power, privilege and prestige in the face of people`s, at times violent demands for self determination, choice and freedom. It was this dilemma, that the mindstate of elitism, class superiority and vested interest - the demon - found itself in Western Europe (the US included) some 200 or so years ago. The solution developed was what today is known as representative democracy, another form of what we here at Odidia call hype.
One cannot, in the world of today avoid hearing the sermons being preached on the virtues, blessings, and benedictions of so-called democracy being broadcast by and through mainstream (mainly) western propaganda outlets, better known as the mass media. The media and their role will be investigated in part 2 of this article but for now let us start with that holy of holies within the pantheon of Western ideological mythology, Representative Democracy.
We are led to believe it is the ultimate, greatest, fairest and best system invented. I suspect some people believe it can turn water to wine, lead into gold, heal the sick and raise the dead from their graves. But as always on examining things truthcentrically we find we are in the realm of myth and legend when it comes to the modern claims and explantions of the modern day Western democratic system.
If we examine the concept of democracy as understood by revolutionaries in the 18th century we find their understanding of this concept to be, the rule of all by all. James Madison, commonly held to be the father of the US constitution and later a president of the US, defined democracy as a system where all people governed directly, freely and equally. A system where the people meet and excercise governance in person. Of course certain groups such as non Europeans, women, children, etc were not included in this ruling "all", they were merely to be ruled.
This democratic ideal worried the revolutionary a great deal. "All" was a divided mass of differing interests, wants, desires and visions. If this monster governed it would cause civil war, terror, death and damnation. Madison in fact was convinced that the "all" or the people did not have the intelligence necessary to overcome these differences and this would inevitably end in conflict. He felt for democracy to be viable there must be a means of controlling the majority.
It is interesting to note that the ethymological root of the words people and population is latin, meaning the one who ravages or pillages, in essence a beast. And beasts must be controlled, must they not ?
Madison in fact went even further and said during the American (US) constitutional convention that the main aim of the constitutional set up was " to protect the minority of the opulent against the majority". This was the main goal of its existence and it must be set up to protect this.
It was thinking such as this which began the transformation of the democratic ideal into the concealed disenfranchisement it has become.
Representation, manifest through an elective sytem, these thinkers believed could solve the problem. Madison was convinced that this was perfect way of guaranteeing that those who had the most wisdom and virtue would govern. it would be a rule of the enlightened few.
Representation actually seperates the "all" or the people from power and government. You get to choose a government from a group of professional administrators (politicians) who in essence are allied, to as well as members of ,various power elites groupings ( who form a body of elites including corporation executives, senior military leaders, religious leaders, politicians, Judges, civil servants, heads of states and the super wealthy)
These administrators serve the interests of this body and are the means by which it can reign supreme without appearing to do so. The elected politician provides cover for the operations of true government. The people believe they are free and in charge and the demon can maintain its grip on society.
The reigning administrators can be changed every 2, 4 or 6 years. But as you essentially are choosing from a limited managerial class (politicians) who serve and or a part of the true elitist unseen government, you are essential playing a game of musical chairs. Regardless of what ideology or rhetoric they hide behind no political party that is a serious threat to the status quo of western society, can ever be allowed to gain ascendancy to power, according to this reigning logic.
Representation ensures that the commoners is kept where the enlightened rulers believe he/she should be:light years away from from the public arena and not able to meddle in the affairs of governance.
Edward Bernays was one of the fathers of the US public relations industry and among other things held to be the man who got women to smoke in the 1920`s, using models and movie stars to link the ideal of the freel iberated modern women with the act of smoking a cigaret. He was widely recognised for his success and so within this industry he became somewhat of a guru. He wrote a book which became an important manual in 1928 by the name of propaganda.
It is important to note what it was as not until after the second world war that propaganda acquired a negative connotation due to its association with the manipulative information techniques of nazis.
In reality the true author of the political use of propaganda which inspired American corporations to copy the tactics ,giving birth to public relations was the British Information ministry which had the stated aim of controlling the thoughts of the people of the world and was succesful in drawing the US into the first world war. An effort which Bernays was active in through the Creel commission. He also orchestrated the public relations effort in relations to the US backed coup of the democratically elected government of Guatemala.
Anyway, this Bernays character states in his book propaganda the following: " Ours must be a leadership democracy administered by the intelligent minority who know how to regiment and guide the masses."
The masses includes even non European masses. As we have seen often enough, the Western elites have never hesitated in attempting to overthrow frurstrate and isolate an elected democratic government in Africa, Asia or Latin America if the "ignorant " masses in these regions of the world were to make a "wrong choice". Wrong meaning pose a threat to western interest and refuse to serve as a vassal for the elite body, which has a growing transnational reach.
In closing let it be said that the elitist thinking did not escape socialism or the leftwing which claimed to be fighting for the oppressed. Marx and his lieutenants believed the proletariate was not capable of completing the revolution and needed an enlightened revolutionary leadership to guide them at the head of a dictatorship of the proletariate. Later of course western socialism joined the represantative system but whether through dictatorship or socalled modern democracy they accepted the status quo.
Representative democracy therefore can in our view safely be declared as just more hype, a way to delay the dawning of true social freedom and revolution, based on the fear of a privileged minority that their ill gotten gains would be lost if the people truly have power and govern themselves, through dialogue, meeting and whatever other mechanisms can evolve or become rediscovered through such a process.
The demons dilemma part 2
In part 1 of this series we examined how the term democracy is actually a cover for the reign of the self professed intelligent and wise over the supposedly uncultivated, stupid and ultimately dangerous masses.
The branches of the government apparatus, all 4 ( yes I said 4 ) work to control the affairs of state and in their basic functioning seperate the people from their sovereignty (self determination and freedom). Instead you get to choose who will run this apparatus but after that your role is that of the obedient citizen. In return for living up to your duty as a law abiding citizens you are given certain rights, but as the intelligent reader is well aware "the lord giveth and the lord taketh away."
These branches of government are the legislative branch, the executive branch, the judicial branch and finally the media or press. I can already hear the outrage and uproar nonetheless, the media is the 4th estate of the government. Their true role - not the fairytale one is asked to believe about a free press serving as a watch dog - is to present to the broad mass a perspective of the world that suits the interests of the controllers of modern western domcracies, keep the people governable.
Their job is to manufacture the consensus trance which will keep the sheep - the general population - moving in the direction required to achieve whatever aims the wise, rich and powerful have deemed necessary. The media does not present news they interpret it according to whatever cultural myths and historical baggage which form the basic outlook of the society, ensuring reality does not disturb the picture which has been placed in the heads of the masses via (mis)education, popular culture and advertisement/marketing.
It is this basic understanding that cause the people of Western Europe to be governable. Their belief in these myths. That they are free, in the ultimate truth of materialism, that they are in control of the governance of their lives and nations through democracy, that they are an island of enlightenment in a sea of primitivity and terror, as well as the belief that their standard of material life and consumption patterns have nothing to do with the mass exploitation of the rest of the world.
The major media corporations of the west - which are the largest in the world - are the means by which elections are won and lost, populations are mobilised to accept wars being fought in their name, the overthrow and sabotage of antiwestern governments are legitimized and the brutal oppression of prowestern regimes of their own people are willfully ignored while antiwestern regimes that practice the same type of repression are denounced in the name of human rights and oppression.
The press practice what at times resembles mass suggestion. Not so odd, as it also acts as a channel for its sybling professions, public relations and marketing. Let us return to our dear friend Edward Bernays (see part 1 of the article for biographical facts) author of that bible of mass manipulation "propaganda" and hear what he had to say on this topic.
"No serious sociologist any longer believes that the voice of the people expresses any divine will or especially wise or lofty ideals. The voice of the people, and that mind is made up for it by the group leaders in whom it believes and by those persons who understand the manipulation of public opinion."
Not yet convinced, well how about one of my favourite quotes, again by that fountain of truth Mr Bernays " The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organised habits of and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our society." So much for the rule of all by all.
But lets not stop here, in Britain they have what is known as the Wolfs Law which states " you cannot hope to bribe or twist, thank God the Britsh journalist. But seeing what men will do unbribed there is no occasion to." The media filter out from its reporting to the population what would be harmful to so-called "national interest". The general public is hereby prevented from getting the full picture of what their governments are up to in the world.
They are in essence "gate keepers" allowing what is not damaging to the populations allegiance to the status quo. They in effect censor themselves. British media officials sit on the Defence Notice Commitee with intelligence and military officials deciding what to keep in the news and what to keep out. As Ernest Bevin ( British foreign Secretary from 1945 - 1951) said very candidly in a debate on the British media in parliament "Why bother to muzzle sheep?"
Walter Lippmann was one of the most renowned American journalists of last century and commonly held to be a progressive individual (in the political sense), he was also a member of the Creel Commission (see the first article in the series). He speaks of what he called the manufacture of consent. The thinking in this phrase is that you can get around the fact people have a political vote by ”manufacturing consent” that will ensure they adopt attitudes which lead to choices, in which they do as the powers that be wish, even though they have a means of participation in government.
But it gets worse, much worse. For in their roles as makers of consensus the supposed free press of the Western world, have allied themselves with the lords of lying, the intelligence services in their work to by any means to secure their interests.The so-called watchdog of truth has become an accomplice in the reign of lies modern western democracy has become by means and methods that go beyond blif.. This will be the topic of part 3 and the final part of this series.
The demons dilemma pt.3
In this our final look at modern democracy and media and the unholy alliance of the 2 we come to most clandestine aspect of this marriage. All through this series we have mentioned Edward Bernays and his thinking on mass manipulation of the general populace. What makes him so unique apart from his already mentioned merits is the fact that he was actually a nephew of Sigmund Freud and much inspired by his thinking on the subconscious.
Furthermore he was also inspired by the work of psychologists Gustav LeBon and Wilfred Trotter in the field of crowd psychology. He believed that it would be possible based on the manipulation of the subconcious of the masses to control them. It was in fact nescessary to control the vast desire based energies of the masses in order to create a civilised and viable modern democracy.
And who pray tell has a greater interest in the manipulation of their fellow human being than the intelligence community and the ruling elite body of which they are a part.
From here we take a look at Walter Lipmann, the famed Pulitzer prize winning American journalist (see part 2 of this series) he believed that people tended to make judgements not based in Lucid or critcal thinking. He held that Journalism and mass media were not an effective ways of educating people. It served another purpose, in his thinking. He did not deem the average citizen as being able to truly understand or be interested in the issues of politics and public policy.
In his mind the journalists role was that of an intelligence operative.The journalist connected the policy maker and the masses. The journalists gets the facts from the policy makers and delivers them to the public, forming a collective consensus or opinion.
Consensus being the means by which consent is manufactured. Consent with the wishes and decrees of the ruling elite. Can it really be so ? Is the collusion between media and the invisible power structures so explicit ? Let us take a look at real life.
Piers Morgan, who was fired as editor of the Daily Maily in 2004, published his memoirs i which he sates he met with Tony Blair 58 times as well as having numerous meetings tycoons and other members of the power elite. He had access to them and they had acess to him. I doubt the weather or the well being of his family were the topics of discussion.
The British Foreign Office give regular media briefings, giving the British Governments Foreign Policy line which journalists can use without attributing it to the Foreign office. The Foreign Office also can give tips containing scoops so of course journalists can`t get too far out of line in their reporting on the Foreign Office.You do not bite the hand that feeds you.
The insanity does not stop here in fact it gets worse. Greg Bishop relates in his essay "The Covert News Network" from the book "You are being lied to" that in the midst of the Kosovo conflict , the American news network CNN hired five so-called interns. They worked without pay and the aim was to learn the workings of this media corporation. They were in reality employees of US Army intelligence.
Major Thomas Collins of the US Army Information Service stated as the situation became public knowledge: “They worked as regular employees of CNN. Conceivably, they would have worked on stories during the Kosovo war. They helped in the production of news.”
These ”interns” came from the Fourth Psychological Operations Group, which is based at Fort Bragg,North Carolina. One of the functions of this group consisting of nearly 1200 personnel is to spread “selected information. National Public Radio (a nationally syndicated Public Radio Network) also hired US Army Intelligence officers in the same period.
This example is by no means unique as a look at the historical alliance between media and the intelligence community will reveal.
For this examination of the above mentioned we shall stay in the ”Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave” – or rather the unfree and the slave – the USA.
Alan Dulles was the Head of the CIA for close to 10 years. During the 2nd World War he was station chief for the Office of Strategic Services station in Switzerland. Alot of future CIA top echelon individuals came from this office.The OSS was responsible for example for project paper clip which gave hundreds of German scientists immunity and brought them to US following the 2nd World War.
CIA was formed at the end of the war and Dulles was made chief in 1952. He brought Edward Hunt (also with an OSS background) to run an international propaganda scheme that ame to be called MOCKINGBIRD. As it became operational the it was so efficient that some claimed that the CIA could sway public opinion anywhere in the world. A prime front for this whole diabolical scheme was the Congress for Cultural Freedom. This organisation established in the 1950`s funneled millions of dollars to pro US anf therefore pro CIA publications in South Africa, Latin America and Britain.
These few examples are just the tip of the iceberg of how the demon (the oppressor) circumvented the problems posed by the dawn of the elective democratic system. We can higly recommend the book "you are being lied to" for the reader interested in more detail on media manipulation. For us here at Odidia it is clear the Western Mass Media Institutions function as the means by which the ruler manipulates and plays with the perceptions and minds of the ruled whether in their own Western Societies or abroad amongst the exploited. Simply put, through the dissemination of 100% hype.
Author
