This is taken from Alex Caldon’s philosophy book The Quest for Truth: On Finding the Grail, revealing an inspiring new philosophy and spirituality. For details of the book, visit the main site at:
How Evil in The Media Attacks Truth
Take newspapers. In the UK, The Daily Mail, is perceived as the “quality” end of the tabloid market. One might expect the Daily Sport or The Sun to be biased when reporting stories, but The Mail is trusted to be a little more accurate. Consider this article which was published in December 1996 in the build up to the UK general election:
“How Blair’s smile is turning off the voters. TONY BLAIR’S famous grin is losing potential voters for labour, Tory research shows. A poll of 1,000 voters who backed the conservatives in 1992 found that 15% regarded him as “two-faced and insincere” while 8% thought him “smarmy and smug” and seven percent did not like his grin. The research for city firm James Capel by Opinion Research Business was carried out before the release of the “demon” poster, pictured left. It found that Tory support has risen to 30% from 22% in April while Labour support has fallen from 67% to 58%. More worrying for Labour, the poll also shows an increase in those Tory voters who fear they will end up paying more tax under Blair government – from 73% in April to 76% in July”
Let’s look at this small article as objectively as possible.
For a start the research was carried out by the Conservative Party itself. Now, is a political party likely to be such a pure exponent of the truth that it will publish a finding showing their opponents in a good light? Of course not. There’s every chance that Tory findings which damage the Tory party would be kept hidden – first likely distortion of the truth.
Next, the poll was taken from only conservative voters, in any case. And how many of those voters are likely to say wonderful things about their enemy – Labour? Not many. So the report was bound to find bad things about Labour, because the research company deliberately approached people who don’t like labour.
What about the issue itself – Blair’s face. Exactly what is the cause-and-effect mechanism which links one man’s smile to such important issues as the general state of the economy, poverty, health, environmental damage and so on? There isn’t a link! The public are being distracted from the important issues with a non-story. One man’s teeth have no effect on our quality of life in our country whatsoever. The paper is playing a mind game on the public.
And how about the findings? “Eight percent found him ‘smarmy and smug’” – or to re-phrase that more accurately – “Ninety-two percent of Tory voters don’t think Blair is ‘smarmy and smug’” ! So the report, in fact, found there was pretty much no problem with his looks in any case. Even if looks were important to political standing. And 93% didn’t mind his “grin”! (“grin” of course is a deliberately chosen replacement for “smile” – “grin” doesn’t sound so likeable. The paper is screwing with people’s minds).
The final comment about Tory voters’ fears of paying more tax, sums up what it’s all really about. Taxes buy civilisation – hospitals, emergency services, roads and so on. But the people in this poll wanted to pay less – ie they didn’t want to give. It describes a system of living which is built on taking. The Daily Mail deliberately re-enforces the selfish opinions of its readers – it is in the papers interest to suck up to its readers, not upset them or else they’ll buy a different paper.