[Air-l] lie, lies, and capitalist lies

[Mark Andrejevic]

I'm hoping this doesn't count as a flame, but I'd offer that there's 
a little logical legerdemain going on in the observation that if 
capitalism (who's that?) is responsible for media lies, then that 
somehow exculpates socialism, fascism, et alia.  The logic that 
escapes me takes place in the transitional observation: "Which I 
guess excludes socialism, fascism, theocracies, authoritarianism, 
etc.."). Why? Do we really need to be so exclusive? If we critique 
the capitalist media I don't see any particular reason for exempting 
the communists (fascists, authoritarians, Moonies...).

By the same token, evidence of media malfeasance under communism does 
little to exculpate capitalism. The irony of the name Pravda, doesn't 
make the slogan "fair and balanced" (Fox News, for those of you who 
are spared its signal) seem any less ironic.

Mark



>I learn something new from this list all the time.
>
>Reading the digest today, I learned that Capitalism is basically
>responsible for media lies.
>
>Which I guess excludes socialism, fascism, theocracies, authorianism, etc.
>
>Guess that's why the USSR called its leading newspaper The Truth.
>
>And why when I was at a conference in Moscow in 1982, I was handed -- on
>arrival -- the "final report" of the conference. We already knew the truth
>before meeting.
>
>And so it goes.
>
>My only comment on this subject. All flames will be ignored.
>  Barry
>  _____________________________________________________________________
>
>   Barry Wellman         Professor of Sociology        NetLab Director
>   wellman at chass.utoronto.ca  http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~wellman
>
>   Centre for Urban & Community Studies          University of Toronto
>   455 Spadina Avenue    Toronto Canada M5S 2G8    fax:+1-416-978-7162
>	     To network is to live; to live is to network
>  _____________________________________________________________________
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Air-l mailing list
>Air-l at aoir.org
>http://www.aoir.org/mailman/listinfo/air-l