Coronavirus facts chase China's official narrative.

Fake news - Real eyes, Realise, Real lies.

Conflict is a natural condition.* 

Partners, husbands and wives, children and parents, teachers and students, employers and employees, citizens and governments, etc. are often in conflict with one another and many other beings. 

Between and within nations, society, organisations even families there is constant conflict. A clash of ideas, strategy, tactics, power, influence, wealth, resources, partners, etc., conflict is always occurring. 

In fact put two creatures together and there is found to be conflict, until some outcome is arrived at between the parties involved. 

Conflicting parties usually try to marshal their resources so as to triumph over the other.

In this effort they try to win over others to their side, ideology or philosophy. They know if they can win the hearts and minds of people, they will secure their support. 

The raw material for the mind is information, and it is the factor most used. 

Information is a key element for success in winning a conflict. The commercial output of information is called news. 

Unfortunately anything that has use will also be misused.

Information always comes with its twin, 'misinformation', which is now known as 'Fake News'. Fake news has been around for centuries and this cartoon published in 1894  by Frederick Burr Opper clearly indicates that this is an age old problem.  

Not only is there an advantage and profit for people to provide news and information there is often a great reward and benefit for withholding news.

There is also the immensely influential and profitable but unethical practice of misinforming,  that is manufacture and distribution of fake news.

It shouldn't come as a surprise, that fake news is natural. Fake news was and remains omnipresent in every human society. Then why has the public's eye on fake news moved from the sidelines to centre-stage?

Unfortunately for peddlers of fake news, consumers of news now have alternative sources to receive and verify news.

The good news is thanks to technology, communications and access the common woman or man can quickly efficiently and cheaply tap directly into a seemingly infinite number of sources to obtain facts, news and commentaries. 

In a sense information has become more democratic and democracies as always are noisy, messy systems.  This has made it difficult if not impossible for providers of information to dish out fake news without getting challenged or caught.

The bad news is that creators of fake news have become very sophisticated, they also use technology to create 'echo chambers' that is the creation hundreds of thousands if not millions of fake voices so as to mislead the consumer that the news and support is widespread and commonly accepted. 

The worst news is that, now we are being bombarded by so much data and information that we are getting overwhelmed sifting the useful and necessary form the garbage. 

Our need for news and entertainment is so extreme that the problem is not so much with the manufacturers and distributors of trivial and fake news, it is us the consumer of news.

In any open society, democracy or free market, supply will always emerge to meet demand.  We demand and accept only what pleases or suits us, or that which matches our own narratives, prejudices  and that which benefits us.

We ourselves are driving demand for fake news, we have become  'fake news'. 

______________________

* Note:

Though conflict is a natural condition, we humans possess the capacity to consciously to  minimise conflict and cooperate with on another. That is why in every civilisation there is a stable social hierarchy, 'A place for everyone, and everyone in his place'.

This will have to be the subject for another article. 

Useful Links:

'Truthification' - Why they convert a lie into a truth? - Guru Wonder

What is Democracy?

'Truthification' - Why they convert a lie into a truth?

J Edgar Hoover

J. Edgar Hoover headed the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of America and its 

predecessor organisation for 48 years (1924 -1972).  

In pursuit of so called, 'National Security', Hoover amassed great personal power by collecting large amounts of compromising and potentially embarrassing information on many powerful people, especially politicians. 

John F Kennedy

When John F Kennedy was campaigning for presidency of the United States (1962) he vowed to replace Hoover on becoming president.  

After becoming President, Kennedy never touched Hoover. On the contrary extended his term and powers as director of the FBI. 


When asked why he kept Hoover on as FBI director, JFK bluntly replied. 

"I would rather have Hoover inside the tent pissing outside, rather than have him outside pissing inside."

What is inside the tent? 
It's called 'The Establishment'. 

Figuratively speaking the establishment consists of all people of significant consequence, i.e. all the politicians, bureaucrats, officials, business people, judges, priests, media persons, and others, even criminals. They are the people in every society who make things happen or stop them from happening.
Figuratively speaking, this establishment which holds effective power is always inside the tent. 

The opposition and the 'want-to-be inside the tent' gang up, and as Kennedy said, piss inside on the establishment.  They hope to derail all initiatives, discredit the establishment and seek for their ouster so that they can occupy and establish themselves inside the tent.

Those inside piss out and those outside keep pissing inside. This pissing match between government and opposition is called domestic politics. Vested interests in the bureaucracy, judiciary, religious organisations, business people, join and indulge in this dirty game to ensure that their preferred choices win and become the establishment. It is usually a 'no holds barred' fight because they believe that the ends justify the means.

To win the match, it is necessary to win the minds of the people by convincing them that the existing establishment and leadership is unfit because of immorality, incompetence, corruption etc.  That the opposition is the best alternative. 

One of the greatest beneficiaries of the pissing match is the media. They are the carriers of the charges and the counter-charges, they make gold from piss. 
By providing entertainment full of drama, mystery, money, sleaze, violence, corruption etc. sprinkled with a few facts, the media becomes enormously wealthy, powerful and influential.

Until now the media was almost the sole life giving and taking agency for politicians and their supporters. Thanks to social media their monopoly is constantly reducing, main stream media remains incredibly powerful.

With power always comes arrogance and corruption. They perceive themselves as makers and true leaders of society. They cannot remain neutral and play favourites.

The media become the shouting agents to smear (damage the reputation by false accusations or slander) entities and philosophies, culture and religions etc. undesirable with as much filth as they can get away with, without crossing a line which will cause the public to react adversely. 

Nancy Pelosi

How does this smear campaign work?
Ms. Nancy Pelosi leader of the Democratic political party and the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, a political veteran, explains how 'The Wrap up Smear' works.

First a politician or an academic or some person from an NGO or civil society will spew out allegations. 

Then one or a couple of  media sources will quote them, then a flood of allegations will be made by the media.
The politicians, will then quote the media and a falsehood becomes a perceived truth in the domestic and international public's mind.

Pinging and ponging, the allegations are bandied about endlessly and the the issue kept alive in the public's eyes and minds. 
In all the smearing and dirty tricks business the truth gets buried under an avalanche of lies. 

The main stream media has played this game too long for anyone's good.
Now Social media allows individuals to verify and provide counter views not from a corrupted press but from other individuals.

Now politicians and groups with vested interests are either conducting their own Social media campaigns or taking the assistance of the same  mainstream media who are taking to Social media themselves (with little impact).

We have to remember there are no truths just perceptions. He who wins the battle of the mind of the people will also win their hearts, and bodies. They will walk away with enormous power, influence and of course, a lot of money.

As a result of their perceived lack of integrity, Main Stream Media is losing ground and influence not only to individuals but also to  technology companies like Facebook, Twitter YouTube etc. 

Contrary to what we may like to believe, no mater who provides us the news, 
We the people are not the beneficiaries of news, we are the pawns and the victims.

____________________________________

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Why does Trump use Twitter?

The most unexpected choice,  American President Donald Trump is an enigma. No one can quite figure him out. People either love him or hate him, but they have never been able to ignore him. 

With Trump what you see is what you get. 
An electorate tired of non performing politicians who double talk, are hypocritical, wimpy, divisive and too politically correct, has not surprisingly swung to the other extreme. 
Crude as his style may appear, the majority of American voters like that blunt honesty in Trump. Thy seem to relate to him.

Trump had been planning to serve as President of America since he was a young man and has been preparing himself accordingly, learning as much as possible. He has a vision to make America great again. His strategy appears unconventionally insane and his tactics even more. 
If one carefully analyses his approach there is actually a manner in the madness.  
Willingly or unwillingly, in Trump, the American people have put their trust

Unlike most political leaders who make politics their profession, Trump has earned his billionaire status by hard work and cunning. Having financed his own campaign he is not beholden to any lobby and power group. 
Though some may disagree, Trump is a business success. He is confident to a point of Megalomania and naturally is his own boss. To deploy his vision he is dependent on the administration but never lets any individual or group obstruct him.

This makes Trump unconventional, undiplomatic and unpredictable. Trump frightens everyone. So politicians, advisors, Wall street, staff, media, civil society, Congressmen etc. all want to tame him and his energy. Never before has an American President ever had such support and simultaneously so many interest groups opposing him, but Trump remains unfazed.

Trump is a President in a hurry to get things promised and refuses to have his message and his initiatives derailed. He therefore has little patience with anyone who gets in the way. Its always his way or the highway, with frequent staff changes and startling initiatives. 

Trump has been effective in shaking things up. He has overseen an economic rebound and secured for America beneficial trade deals with Mexico, Canada, European Union, Japan, and Korea. His initiatives on wide range of areas covering illegal immigration, terrorism etc. earn him brickbats and praise. 

Regarding Trump one question that inevitably comes to mind is, 'Why does Trump use Twitter as his main channel of communication?', even for the most sensitive of matters and relationships.

No leader runs the country, the bureaucrats do. The leadership formulates strategy, prioritises issues, gives direction and focuses resources as needed, while providing statesmanship, to government and to the electorate.

A visitor to the court of Russian Tzar Nicholas I, (1796 - 1855) was praising the Tzar and his power.
Upon which the Tzar retorted, "I do not rule Russia; 10,000 clerks do."

American federal government has tens of millions of employees spread over tens of thousands of agencies and departments.
Government has become ungovernable. Accountability is poor, policy formulation and deployment takes forever. 

Trump knows that to succeed, he has to win public support on many issues and for that good communication is critical.

Trump has inherited from two big communication problems. 
1. A bureaucracy that marches to the drum beats, of its own choosing. They change the tone, strength, bluntness and even kill policy they do not like.
2. A very powerful media extremely hostile to Trump. They suppress his achievements, exaggerate his weaknesses and mistakes. They constantly smear him, trying to drive him and his supporters away. 

Both these communication channels have tried to choke Trump's ability to communicate with the outside world at his desired pace and to get things done. 

In all democracies only that narrative is carried and only that happens, which the media and the top bureaucrats, working hand in glove with the elites, want. 

Trump has changed all that. He is unwilling to trust the newspapers and television media to give him fair coverage.

It appears. Trump has a vocabulary of about 3000 words, but its enough to communicate directly to the world.  He uses Twitter like the 'Donald Trump Broadcasting Station'. He communicates with the world directly. Sure he makes many faux pas but he never lets a setback deter him.

Whether this is this the right approach is debatable? That its an effective communication approach is beyond doubt.

This communication strategy is not suitable for everyone and in every situation. If one is not one's own boss and if one lacks a clear vision and approach then one should not adopt this direct contact approach.

Take me to your leader