Why The F*ck Are We Still Listening to the Mainstream Media?

Detox Right Now!

Insanity is "doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." That's what's happening to many of us seeking solutions to Trump's fascism. The chaos is affecting our common sense. We're wasting time and energy seeking help from the same individuals and institutions that created this situation in the first place.

Insanity is sympathizing with AOC and Bernie Sanders' "The Fighting Oligarchy Tour." It's a pep rally for the same Red Team/Blue Team shit. It should be a crime sheep-dogging frustrated voters back towards a corrupt, ineffective Democratic Party. Some of us invested too much supporting Sanders' successful presidential run, only for him to capitulate to the corrupt Clinton wing. And AOC? She’s a walking contradiction on progressive issues.

Insanity is continuing to get news from CNN, MSNBC, CBS, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and other supposedly liberal, ethical media outlets. They substitute speculation, pontification, and distraction for journalism.

And it’s reached new levels of absurdity.

Consider the recent revelations about Joe Biden’s cognitive condition from a new book co-authored by CNN’s Jake Tapper. After that disastrous debate with Trump, he and other pundits insisted Biden was mentally sharp despite what everyone witnessed. They excoriated anyone questioning Biden’s fitness for office. This newsletter and other journalists and commentators that called for the truth were dismissed as Republican or Russian agents. Our inquiries were dismissed as traitorous despite increasing falls, naps, wandering off, and rambling speech. Now Tapper, his publisher, and PR team have the audacity to declare that everyone but them covered this up.

Some might ask, why does this matter? After all, Biden is history and that’s all “water under the bridge.” But not for those who cannot stomach Trump. Hopes for a Democratic Party resurgence still exist. If you voted for Kamala Harris, you should be pissed. If voters knew about Biden’s condition, they could have removed him from the race earlier. Harris would have had more time to craft an effective campaign. Or the Democrats could have drafted another viable candidate, like Barack Obama and Bill Clinton reportedly advocated for. But the Party covered up Biden’s decline with the mainstream media’s help. Now Jake Tapper is being lauded and rewarded for lying to you.

Why the F*ck does Tapper still have a job as a “credible media personality?”

Why the F*ck are we still listening to mainstream media?

Years ago, the mainstream media wasn't perfect, but it wasn't like this. Although they still advocated empire, reading The New York Times or Newsweek improved your reading, writing, and comprehension skills. People could question the journalism quality without being accused of being criminals. Even if you watched TV talk programs like Charlie Rose, Dick Cavett, Phil Donahue, even Oprah, they had guests that encouraged critical thinking and alternative perspectives.

Today, the news contributes little to our understanding of the world. What you're currently reading, watching, or listening to will be outdated in minutes according to the 24/7 news cycle. "Breaking News" plays on our fear of missing out, causing stress and paranoia. It rarely provides details. It consists of sensationalized soundbites that degrade language and communication. Serious journalists are dismissed as troublemakers for asking uncomfortable questions—questions they should ask in a democracy.

We consume news for entertainment and advertising, not education, enlightenment, or civic empowerment. In 2016, former CBS executive chairman Les Moonves told us what media was really about when he slipped about the Donald Trump candidacy: "It may not be good for America, but it's damn good for CBS."

To contribute to the resistance, we must first rid ourselves of mainstream media’s mind manipulation. It’s time to Escape the Plantation; regardless of ethnicity or background, we need to eliminate previous learning and indoctrination that keeps us from realizing there are other options to life.

Rolf Dobelli provides a foundational rule: "The less news you consume, the bigger the advantage. News has no explanatory power. News items are bubbles popping on the surface of a deeper world."

You don't have to quit cold turkey; just spend less time on the news and more on thinking.

• Limit yourself to a few reputable news outlets. Consider them unreliable if they mainly cite “government officials” or use the government as their primary source.

• Identify a story’s facts by focusing on the essential elements: Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Everything else is filler.

• Scrutinize any podcast, radio, TV, lecture, debate, or information presentation that calls itself a “show.” A show is for entertainment. A better term for informative and educational content is “program.”

• Avoid MSNBC, CNN, and similar panel-type presentations. They’re overrun by political operatives and corporate interests catering to Washington insiders. The only value of these networks is live-stream video. Better yet, turn off the television unless needed.

• Limit or eliminate the use of Google, Apple, Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), YouTube, and other social media for news. They manipulate information and engage in censorship.

• Read books, long articles, and listen to podcasts for foundational knowledge. It's future-proof against propaganda. For example, learning about how Gaza came to exist will help you stay grounded in those facts when faced with the justifications why it should be ethnically cleansed.

• Read a local newspaper for local news. Where do you think the TV news anchors get their stories? Focus on stories showing citizen action. Do without the “favorite pet of the week” pieces.

• Support independent media on Substack. Many of us here are refugees from the bastardized journalism promoted by mainstream corporate policies and manipulation.