Theos-Talk Archives (June 2005 Message tt00130)

Dear Jerry,

>They are interested in training people to be consumers - to buy 
their products whether they need the product or not.<

Yes, I remember an excellent book by Victor Papanek, Design for the 
Real World, http://www.914.qc.ca/monde.html, in which he described 
methods of the creation of artificial needs and how a socially 
responsible industrial design (in the broadest sense) should look 
like.

>I believe that American public opinion polls more or less reflect
public opinion.<

Yes, I agree, but the problem is not so much with the results. 
Public opinion is created with the selection of "right" questions. 
For instance, before your last presidential election I visited 
Gallup Institute page and I was shocked. There were questions 
something like (I don't remember exactly anymore):

Do you find John Kerry inconsistent regarding the terrorism?

And some other similar questions about the democratic candidate. Not 
that the questions about republican Bush weren't similar; they 
weren't any at all. So, the manipulation begins before getting any 
result.

You indeed mentioned that polls conducted by and for political 
interests are often designed to create public opinion, but I used 
this simple example to indicate how these things works, surely in 
other areas too.

>Do you know where and when the story of Potemkin's village 
originated?<

As far as I know it is based on the real events during the period of 
Catherine the Great, but maybe Konstantin could say more about that. 
Meanwhile here is a short description: 
http://www.ehistory.com/world/amit/display.cfm?amit_id=2216.

The sad thing is that from that time on this type of deception 
became an art and evolved in the "Truman Show", more or less fully 
practiced all over the world.  

>whenever they publish something that is even mildly critical of the 
administration, the White House calls the editor and threatens him<

Well, I didn't imagine that they do these things so openly. It is 
obvious that they feel enough strong to do that; and history gave a 
certain name to such governments which spread fear and cultivate the 
idea of chosen nation.

But maybe the lesson we have to learn is not to rely on any word, on 
any appearance, but only on one's own inner discrimination.

Warmest regards,
Anton




--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, Jerry Hejka-Ekins <jjhe@c...> 
wrote:
> Dear Anton,
> 
> >I would rather say that TV producers are creating such demand 
> >appealing to the material side of human nature out of corporate 
> >interests and in that way ruing people's values.
> >  
> >
> Yes. This is how I see it too. I believe that it is American 
corporate 
> interests that started it. They are interested in training people 
to be 
> consumers--to buy their products whether they need the product or 
not. 
> This country has what is called "a culture of youth." That is: 
there is 
> a fear of growing old, so people buy products which make them look 
> young. It is not only women. For instance, Men commonly die their 
hair 
> in order to look younger. The ideal is to be a sexually active and 
self 
> absorbed juvenile.
> 
> >The same story is with public opinion polls. Are they stating or 
are 
> >they creating public opinion?
> >
> I believe that American public public opinion polls more or less 
reflect 
> public opinion. This may be different in some other countries. I 
don't 
> know. Here, public opinion polls are conducted by independent 
agencies 
> in order to gather information for many different reasons. They 
try to 
> be as accurate as possible. The exception is opinion poles 
conducted by 
> and for political interests. I indeed did see several public 
opinion 
> poles, near the time of the last election, which were designed to 
create 
> public opinion--not measure it.
> 
> >It seems to me that we are in front of a kind of "Potemkin's 
> >village" – that we see the things as someone, out of an interest, 
> >want to present them to us and not as they really are.
> >  
> >
> Nice metaphor. I found and read the story of Potemkin's village on 
the 
> Internet. I don't believe I have ever heard this story before. Do 
you 
> know where and when the story originated?
> 
> In the case of the U.S., this political Administration is very 
secretive 
> and are trying very hard to hide realities. They have an expert 
named 
> Karl Rove, who has been especially successful at creating public 
> opinion. Interestingly, his strategy is to attack the political 
enemy's 
> strong points. He has been amazingly effective at taking control 
of the 
> rhetoric.
> 
> One of the members of our study group is a journalist. She writes 
for on 
> of the larger newspapers in the area. She was saying that the 
Editors 
> are having a very hard time. Even though this newspaper has a 
> conservative readership, whenever they publish something that is 
even 
> mildly critical of the administration, the White House calls the 
editor 
> and threatens him by saying that if such articles continues, they 
will 
> deny access to his reporters. As far as I know, this is the first 
> administration which has tried to control the press in this way.
> 
> Best wishes,
> Jerry
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anton Rozman wrote:
> 
> >Dear Jerry and Anand,
> >
> >You wrote:
> >
> >  
> >
> >>The most popular program at the time was a series 
called "Beverly 
> >>    
> >>
> >Hills 90210." It was a fictional series about the sex lives of 
> >teenage kids growing up in Beverly Hills.<
> >
> >  
> >
> >>Perhaps most people in the world like this subject. TV programs 
are 
> >>    
> >>
> >made according to demand from people. There is huge demand for 
such 
> >programs and so producers make and show such programs.<
> >
> >  
> >
> >>Precisely. And what does this say about "most people's" values?<
> >>    
> >>
> >
> >
> >I won't be so sure on that.
> >
> >I would rather say that TV producers are creating such demand 
> >appealing to the material side of human nature out of corporate 
> >interests and in that way ruing people's values.
> >
> >The same story is with public opinion polls. Are they stating or 
are 
> >they creating public opinion?
> >
> >It seems to me that we are in front of a kind of "Potemkin's 
> >village" – that we see the things as someone, out of an interest, 
> >want to present them to us and not as they really are.
> >
> >Kind regards,
> >Anton
> >
> >http://www.bartleby.com/61/0/P0480000.html
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > 
> >Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> > 
> >
> >
> >
> >  
> >