Is it just me? Or the mainstream media is getting more and more unhinged with time? They use deceptive headlines, make unsubstantiated claims, and sensationalize sensitive topics for better ad revenue.
That’s not it.
They also pick sides. Then, they take the moral high ground for having done so. And as a finishing touch, they subtly criticize you for taking the other side.
And what do they do when they are proven wrong? They take accountability and apologize to you for following their agenda instead of the public interest.
Yeah, I’m kidding! What made you feel they would admit to anything? They are always right, even when proven otherwise.
And you have to trust their riveting journalism at their face value. If you don’t, congratulations, you are a bigot.
These agencies are like your toxic, narcissistic ex, tagging you as an abuser while slamming a door in your head and beating you dead with a vodka bottle.
Here’s something about such gaslighting tactics. They can mess with your head. They will make you believe that you are a criminal for disagreeing — or even questioning them.
If you want to protect yourself from such crazy manipulation tactics, you need to learn to see through them when they try to sell you lies.
Here’s how to do it
Sniff Out Their Intent Behind the Headlines
Here’s one of the rarest occasions where not only you can, but also you should judge the book by its cover. By which I mean sensing the intent of an article by seeing what the headline is trying to accomplish.
The biggest takeaway…is that media organizations leave an impression on a story before the very first word is read, based on their reputation and authority alone.
— Fast Company, Misleading Headlines Can Leave Lasting Impressions, Even If You Read The Article
Not only that. These ‘journalists’ routinely take it so far that the headlines end up overstating or sometimes downright contradicting the content of the articles themselves.
So the first sign of unsubstantiated or any form of misleading news content is the manipulating intent of the headline.
For example, if I write a headline as “How Much Musk’s Twitter Takeover Will Cost You as an Average American.”
Now, it doesn’t matter if you read the article or not. I have slipped it into your head that Musk is stealing from you by taking over Twitter.
Curiosity isn’t enough.
Here, my goal is to spark fear and outrage instead.
That’s how effective these manipulation tactics are.
You will see countless such headlines online from leading media houses that are unsupported by fact, or even the actual content, for that matter.
Pay Attention to the Tone
What should a news presentation or article sound like? Formal, sober, unbiased, and informative. Right?
Now answer me this.
When was the last time you read an article or saw a news presentation where their biased passion wasn’t heavier than some cheap cologne?
But that’s a poor tactic. Isn’t it? I mean. If they keep on with their antics, you could just stop taking them seriously. And that will be that.
Well, not quite.
How long can you resist the constant subliminal repetition of the same message through different issues?
And make no mistake, repeating a lie (that you know for sure to be a lie) can eventually brainwash you into believing it.
That’s what we call the sleeper effect. And mainstream media is infamous for using it to smear and discredit people.
Look for Opinions Disguised As Facts
Here’s something about people who try to pass their opinions as hard facts. They are often incredibly well articulated.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a narcissist, a publication, or both. They roll all the same.
According to the research run by RAND:
Cable programming today is highly interactive and subjective and relies on arguments and opinions to persuade and debate — a stark contrast from the more academic style and precise language employed in broadcast television in the pre-2000 period.
The media houses are no fools. They don’t just state their opinion out loud. No. That won’t be impactful. Instead, they disguise them as guided questions or innocent interpretations of facts.
That’s how these big news corporations slowly coerce us into
• thinking what they want us to think,
• feeling what they want us to feel,
• buying what they want us to buy,
• and, most importantly, voting for people they want us to vote for.
So the next time you see a tv anchor taking an unearned moral high ground and going into an emotional rant, know that they are trying hard to make you subscribe to their inclinations.
How Do They React to the Competition?
When mainstream media doesn’t like someone, they make really sure that you know it.
They love to initiate witchhunts. Sometimes, they do it for ratings. Sometimes they do it to favor their political ideologies. Other times, they do it to crush the competitions.
It was not too long ago. There was an ‘outrage’ to cancel Joe Rogan. Why? Because his guest allegedly spread COVID misinformation.
Fair enough!
However, there’s a tiny problem with that narrative.
Multiple studies show how mainstream media houses spread COVID misinformation on national platforms, that too when the pandemic was in its full swing.
Here are some more facts (minus the interpretations).
12M million people listen to Joe Rogan in a month. He has surpassed Tucker Carlson, Fox News, and CNN in numbers.
It brings up one question about the outrage against Joe Rogan.
Was it really about misinformation?
What Is the Pattern of Their Operation?
When you put it all back together, you will start seeing a pattern. But, before getting there, let me ask you something.
How do you think people should form their opinions?
‣ Option 1: Look at all the facts objectively and then come up with the best possible conclusion possible.
‣ Option 2: Come up with the decision first. Then, make the facts fit your narrative and scrap everything that contradicts your conclusion.
Now, let me ask another question. What if the source of your facts is already acting upon the second option here?
Yes. That’s how low the media houses are willing to stoop nowadays. And when you observe their headlines, their tone, their inclinations, and their smear tactics, you can catch them with their pants down.
In the end, it all comes down to a simple as well as a significant piece of question. Why does it matter? Lying media houses are a much bigger problem than most people realize.
(Of course, there’s no media coverage.)
If you let them, they steer your judgment in the direction of their choice while selling your time to advertisers for millions.
Liked what you read? Feel free to…
