Small vocabulary of the cynical press

Image: Fatih Güney
Whatsapp
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Telegram

By JEAN PIERRE CHAUVIN*

The owners of the press, like the warlords, know well how to use the ideology of the “right of defense” in favor of world powers

Sunday, October 22, 2023, from 16pm onwards. At regular intervals, an excited race announcer announces that, soon, the television channel (whose brand celebrates the massacres caused by Entrances and Flags, in the 23th and 20th centuries) will show exclusive material about the war between “Israel against Hamas”. . Monday 45rd October from XNUMX:XNUMXpm onwards. The news from the same channel dedicates an entire block naming some missing Israelis, while the footer of the screen highlights the words “Israel x Hamas”.

Note carefully: the more than five thousand deaths in Palestine have not yet been included in the broadcaster's account; and, as we know, this is not an isolated fact. By the way, it would take a lot of naivety to believe that this is merely the point of view of a group or sector. What we are witnessing is the attempt to validate, as unique and legitimate, the perspective conveyed day and night by mass media cartels.

It is not common sense that feeds the broadcasters; It is the cynicism of their spokespeople that forges the supposed common sense, proudly reproduced by “good men”.

The owners of the press, as well as the warlords, know very well how to use the ideology of the “right to defense” in favor of world powers, reinforcing stereotypes. In the news, half an hour ago, an Israeli man in uniform declared that the attack on Lebanon (today) would have prevented Hezbollah's actions.

It was thanks to the corporate press that we learned, through the opinion expressed by our parents, that some are dictators and others are presidents; that those represent freedom of expression, individual property and “healthy” free competition, while the others symbolize totalitarian and backward ways of thinking or dealing with sectors of culture and macroeconomics; that some have veto power, as their seat is permanent, while others, called (by an unscrupulous opportunist) countries of “little relevance”,[I] they do not even deserve to be heard in the UN Security Council.

There is little doubt that the acronyms UN and USA share equivalent pseudo-values. However, we must ask ourselves once again: what is the immediate horizon for Israel, the United States and company? Drain production from the arms industry, dumping bullets, missiles and bombs on Palestinian civilians, in the name of “good”. Unfortunately, as the weapons are guided, but still do not ascertain identity, age, religion and party affiliation, it won't be long before the spokespeople for the massacre will be able to outrageously recycle what George Bush also declared about the thousands of dead in the war "against the terror”, in Iraq, in October 2015. Even CNN reproduced the news in a critical tone at the time.[ii]

The main objective, which runs parallel to the missiles, is to strengthen the belief that it is necessary to eradicate “evil”, even because it would be practiced by “animals”, as a member of the genocidal Israeli government said. Just scroll the feed on Instagram to come across videos of sadistic people: an actress uses ketchup, talcum powder, black pencil and fruit to ridicule the suffering of Palestinian women and their children; a group of Israelis, with children, men and elderly people, gather with banners encouraging the Tzahal and screams of hatred, suggesting that it is necessary to exterminate Arabs in general, preferably Palestinians.

Evidently, the fight is not “against Hamas”. Starting because the conflicts between Israel and Palestine are based on ancient mythologies, supposedly based on sacred books. In Brazil, where the Bible is better known by atheists and progressive religious people than by uncritical believers, the same ones who say they are pro-life and shout that “abortion is murder” are there proudly raising their prejudices, all Christianly justified, in the intransigent defense of Israel, closing their eyes for massacred men, women and children. To begin with, it would be necessary to find out whether the fundamentalists Made in brazil would recognize the differences between the Mosaic and Christian periods.

Vocabulary, that is, the lexical choice of corporate communication vehicles, produces serious and, in some cases, irremediable effects. It would be relevant to investigate whether the guardians of factoids learned something from the neofascist storm in Brazil. Judging by the mild way they refer to the Argentine ultra-right candidate, partially defeated yesterday, cynicism is more profitable than ethics. The simulation of commitment to the truth continues to command radio stations, TV channels, “more credible” vehicles and podcast, led by “content producers” who are as superficial as they are opportunistic.

Only an incurable optimist can see a way out, in this country of scammers, reactionaries and hypocrites obsessed with weapons, who: (1) tried to contact aliens by alternating light signals with messages in the languages ​​of Earthlings; (2) prayed around tires; (3) they climbed onto the bumper of a truck simulating uncompromising heroism; (4) they kidnapped children of original peoples to “evangelize” them according to the theology of prosperity (profitable only for television pastors); (5) swear to defend the honor of the family, while committing feminicide and violating women and children; (6) they vote for enemies of healthcare, public housing, public education, etc., etc., etc.

*Jean Pierre Chauvin Professor of Brazilian Culture and Literature at the School of Communication and Arts at USP. Author, among other books by Seven speeches: essays on discursive typologies (Editora Cancioneiro).[https://amzn.to/3sW93sX]

Notes


[I] https://oglobo.globo.com/blogs/sonar-a-escuta-das-redes/post/2023/10/moro-diz-que-brasil-nao-tem-relevancia-internacional-e-e-rebatido-por-ministro-das-relacoes-exteriores-como-nao.ghtml

[ii] https://edition.cnn.com/2015/10/06/middleeast/us-collateral-damage-history/index.html 


the earth is round exists thanks to our readers and supporters.
Help us keep this idea going.
CONTRIBUTE

See all articles by

10 MOST READ IN THE LAST 7 DAYS

See all articles by

SEARCH

Search

TOPICS

NEW PUBLICATIONS