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Chomsky

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4 views1 page

Chomsky

Uploaded by

jodimaltman71
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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In this week's reading, we learned about Chomsky who contended that the foundation of

democracy hinges on the population's lack of knowledge and influence, a provocative assertion that may

hold some validity. Personally, I am always questioning the things people are telling me or what I read

online or watch on the news. This has always led me to abstain from certain outlets such as those due to

inherent distrust. Sometimes the media floods audiences with negative narratives that may not be true and

disconcerting tones to unstill fear, rendering them more susceptible to manipulation and indoctrination.

For many, this is off-putting, raising question marks in many individuals' brains. While Chomsky's

assertions may appear overly skeptical, suggesting a world where bad cannot exist without good, there are

certainly scenarios where his theories may hold some truth. He also posited that indoctrination lies at the

core of democracy, a tactic that can be seen with narcissists and dictatorships seeking to garner public

support. Chomsky's views may seem incongruous, generalizing that all leaders may appear manipulative

or portray narcissistic behaviours. While there is undoubtedly some truth to his claims, applying them

universally to every leader’s tactic seems excessive and may not be totally accurate. In the grand scheme

of things, life encompasses shades of gray where bad and good coexist. An example of how Chomsky's

views are relevant today is through the lens of media and the influence it has on the general population. In

many democratic societies, large media outlets serve as a primary source of information. However, he

argued that mainstream media tends to be controlled by a smaller number of powerful corporations or

individuals with vested interests. This concentration of media ownership leads to biases in reporting,

selective coverage and the potential for dishonest coverage. This can be seen with the genocide and ethnic

cleansing currently happening in Palestine where the amount of local news coverage is very limited,

leading to many individuals being unaware of the catastrophe as well as the dishonest coverage. In this

way, Chomsky’s views highlight the potential for democratic societies to be undermined by a lack of

critical media literacy amung the public, as well as the manipulation of information by those in positions

of power or authority. This emphasizes the significance of nurturing a varied and autonomous media

environment that promotes critical thinking and offers citizens a range of viewpoints on serious issues.

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