How Infotainment Is Normalizing Terrorism
"News" about the war between Hamas and Israel seems to be based on pre-constructed narratives rather than facts
To be sure, the phenomenon of media bias is nothing new, on the political right, left, and center. However, with the rise of digital news, social media, political obsessions, and dark money influences, critical theories have created deep confusion regarding who the key players are in a conflict and who is oppressing whom.
In this context, normalizing terrorism seems to fit well into the New York Times and CNN and BBC business models. If the world identifies with terrorists (because they represent a given people, but intentionally bring destruction upon themselves in the name of a holy crusade) the business models of our media are required to respond by constructing a comprehensive narrative that it is one side vs. another side. While this makes for a clear picture of what is going on, that picture is grossly simplified and distorted. However, it sells.
As a result, the ridiculously oversimplified narrative allows the media have a great, entertaining drama series to cover, especially if it is a lengthy conflict. This will enhance their revenues and bring popularity to their reporters and news personalities. It is a nearly perfect partnership. The public doesn't want the shock and horror of genocidal rapists, torturers, and mutilators of bodies. That would be far too real and disgusting. And publishing and broadcast standards would prevent them from using close up images of what is really going on. So, they are omitted from the narrative because they are powerful and would prejudice the readers against the perpetrators.
For a popular media drama, moral ambiguity, not clarity, is necessary. So the death-loving cult of the Muslim Brotherhood must remain off the screen, as well as the Iranian, Qatari, and Turkish masterminds, the corrupt and duplicitous United Nations representatives, etc. Instead, the public will love the drama of outnumbered, oppressed freedom fighters up against the powerful and brutal Israelis. There is no interest in the IDF being the most restrained and ethical, largely civilian, military on the planet. That would just be boring and eliminate the moral ambiguity that makes for good drama. If it bleeds, it leads, but we cannot show the actual blood, so rumors and propaganda will fill in nicely.
Is this analysis cynical? No. I claim it to be at the very least implicitly and unconsciously driving the reporting and editing of events in the Middle East. Yes, it is sick. And, yes, our media, in this digital age of narcissism and drama, is helping unravel western civilization (meaning generally all but the Muslim Brotherhood, China, Iran and Russia). But, hey, the reporters and editors and boards of directors will feel good about their courageous coverage of the poor Palestinian tragedy. And they will not really fathom how their confusion of terrorists with victims serves only to deepen the Muslim Brotherhood death cult’s control over the Palestinian people, both in Gaza and in the areas known as the West Bank, as well as the Middle East generally.