Manufacturing Consent - Noam Chomsky and the Media

Rating:
Summary: Can you look at yourself in the mirror?
Review: Unfortunately, someone with a background like Dr. Chomsky is barely known to the American public. I myself found out about him only a couple of months ago when one of his books was on my Amazon recommendations.

This documentary is in three parts. The first part details Chomsky's background and shows him giving various speeches. The second part is about the differences in coverage of Cambodia and East Timor. When we (the U.S. government and U.S. public -ignorantly or innocently) was commiting atrocities in Cambodia, it was not in the newspaper, when Pol Pot commited atrocities, it's in the paper. Also when Indonesia annexed East Timor and commited genocide - no mention in the paper again. Sadly, President Ford went to Indonesia and specifically wanted Indonesia to invade only after he left. As the genocide went on in East Timor, the American government as well as most Western governments did nothing to stop it - if there is a profit to be made, it is more important than helping people. The second part also shows some criticism directed toward Professor Chomsky - criticism from Tom Wolfe, the New York Times, and various other people.

Also there is a scene about how a French professor wants to deny that concentration camps existed (during the Holocaust). Chomsky as well as other intellectuals signed a petition which stated that this French professor has a right to say what he wants - Chomsky didn't agree with it, but the state has no right to punish him for saying something. Dr. Chomsky also rights a little piece of "free speech" and the French professor uses that piece as the preface of his book. This makes it seem like Chomsky is supporting what the professor is saying which he is not. This caused outrage in France and to Israelis. Dr. Chomsky tries to defend himself against people who label him as racist and anti-Semetic.

The third part is about how we can each make a difference. Dr. Chomsky challenges us to review various news medias and make up our own minds. We should also organize, create our own alternative media and/or inform others. We should remember - if anyone challenges us to check their sources or to actually pay attention to the government and media - it means this person is not afraid of what they stand for. Only if a person discourages people from trying to think independently, then that person is scared of what they stand for.

Sadly, even though this movie was made in 1992, there is still a huge amount of information our mainstream American media does not cover. For example, if you tell most Americans about the sanctions which killed 500,000 Iraqi children from 1991-2003 - how many people would say yeah they know? Most people would either wonder what we are talking about or just blame it on Saddam Hussein.

The video clips which are shown from all over the world as well video clips showing America and other countries history is excellent. A time when someone (like Chomsky) has to defend themselves for caring about human rights is a sad time indeed.

Rating:
Summary: Great introduction to difficult material
Review: I've never been able to slog through any of Chomsky's books, but this documentary is completely accessible. He has some great insights into how the media really works, and what that means for our society.

I've seen this movie several times, and it is still just as relevant as when it first came out. If anything, the issues Chomsky addresses have become more urgent today.

Rating:
Summary: "Chomsky for Dummies"
Review: This film from 1992 is an excellent introduction for Noam Chomsky's views for those unfamiliar (or only passingly familiar) with him, similar to the "Dummies" book series. The film is quite long at nearly 3 hours, but there is an intermission about half way through. There are also extended excerpts from two debates (my favorite is Chomsky dealing with Buckley's talking over him constantly) and an all-too-brief interview with Chomsky on the film from 2002. I say "all-too-brief" because this would have been an opportunity for Chomsky to update his thesis following the terrorist attacks on the US on 9/11/01 and the subsequent mobilization. One also wonders how he would characterize the Bush administration response to the attacks, but perhaps he was restrained given that the attacks occurred less than 6 months prior to the interview.

Chomsky repeated claims he eschews "sound bites" in his interviews, but he actually sound bites quite well (a credit to the filmmakers' editing). He is seen mostly in clips for various talks and debates, some of the debates in a quite informal setting allowing for more pointed and specific remarks to be made. Chomsky's background is put in perspective well (early upbringing and influences as well as his linguistics work at MIT), but the core of the film is his thesis that the mass media is a tool to help form public opinion to allow the government to carry out specific policies that benefit an elite few.

The film is not a Chomsky love-fest in that countering views are presented (in particular, the editor of the New York Times), though clearly the point of view of the film is that Chomsky is correct in his thesis. Two central examples of Chomsky's thesis are the comparison of media coverage between Cambodia and East Timor in the late 70's and the clear difference between defending someone's right to free speech without agreeing with the ideas proposed. What is most disturbing is Chomsky's discussion of how the media can marginalize those who even raise questions and in an eerie sense predicts the talking head shouting matches (laced with meaningless labels and rhetoric) that passes for "debate" today in the media.

Chomsky's writings, though he claims they're for the large mass of people that the state would like to simply not participate in the political process, are usually too difficult for the average attention span today. This DVD provides a very watchable, clear introduction to Chomsky's ideas and may provide the motivation to go through his writings. For those who think Chomsky is a liberal (as he is often labled), listen to when he discusses Carter's policies in Timor, and recall Carter was the "human rights" president. Highly recommended, considering the present state of the media in the US. The world is far more complex than the views you get on TV and when you ask the question: "why do they hate us so", you need to remember that you may not even have all the information to answer the question.

Rating:
Summary: Awesome...if you're up to it.
Review: This film is to "Fahrenheit 9/11" what a symphony is to a ragtime pianist: infinitely more complex, multilayered, subtle and incisive...but also far less accessible to the average viewer with the typical 15-second attention span.

I've never read any of Chomsky's books, only excerpts and reviews and lots of casual mention of him but in this film he comes across as surprisingly good-humored, down to earth and likeable. Nothing like the raging paranoid ivory tower freak that the wingnuts like to caricature him as.

Tons of "aha!" moments while watching...but try not to watch this film after a heavy meal.

4.5 stars

Rating:
Summary: good but outdated intro
Review: This is a good, though outdated, intro to Chomsky and his thoughts. I recommend that anyone interested watch this and then do a lot of reading.

Rating:
Summary: Highly recommended!
Review: This film is an entertaining and gripping look at the life and ideas of MIT professor Noam Chomsky', the "most quoted person alive". And, most importantly, it discusses the "Propaganda Model", an institutional system that he and Edward Herman (professor emeritus at Wharton's School of business) developed in the late 80's on how media contributes to manufacturing consent within a free society.

It is an entirely rational system, and has NOTHING to do with conspiracies. The fact that Big Business owns and operates most media in a narrowing field and behaves in a business like fashion is not a conspiracy. Corporations are not in the business to undermine themselves. They are not run by a centralize cabal of sinister business men (though some such as Disney and Sinclair are capable of wielding quite overt censorship and propaganda as seen in the election of 2004). They generally operate in a legal manner.

Also, the "Propaganda Model" has NOTHING to do with a police state as suggested by some who have criticize this film (and who clearly have not seen it!). Indeed, Chomsky insists that this system works best in a free society - insisting that western nations are free and open. According the Chomsky, the "Propaganda Model" is in fact more effective in our free society than the inept heavy handed totalitarian propaganda often found in a police state, since people can be coerced by force in such a system. Here citizens need more gentile persuasion. The film includes ample case studies that back up this thesis. They also have included critics of Chomsky whose weak arguments fall over flat within seconds.

Highly recommended!


Rating:
Summary: Excellent overview of the way media is used to direct views
Review: This film, composed of several visual styles, does a good job of showing many examples of how a mostly-democratic society can be influenced by corporate desires via several forms of media. Newspapers are an obvious focus point for a good part of the film. Does this film contain propaganda itself in it's depiction of propaganda? Of course it does. But this has no bearing on whether the material in it contains a damning amount of fact about big business. One of Noam's powerful means of teaching is to draw reasonable 'event parallels' to show how the media does not really consider objectively informing the public as it's highest motivating cause. This would be an even more amazing film if it were brought up to our current event context. The film was made in 1993, and many of it's educational fruits are more apt today that they were 11 years ago. In summary, this film is a good first look at how it might be possible for the real decision makers of a capitalistic society, as a plurality, to mange societies' opinions and beliefs via selective shaping of the news.

Rating:
Summary: conspiracies, conspiracies, conspiracies
Review: Chomsky, as usual, makes paralells where none exist. He leaps across entire mountains claiming one has to do with the other. But what Chomsky and his followers fail to comprehend about government is that it's as likely to uniformly keep a secret as much as the average office. The real reason why the U.S. media never tells you what's going on in the world outside of U.S. interests is that it's comprised of morons who have the attention span and intelligence of your average poodle. Dan Rather will not inform you of East Timor because he doesn't even know where it is. Do you really think the "evil" U.S. government is keeping the media silent? If the government were capable of the kinds of censorship that Chomsky continues to describe, then how come so many media outlets are openly critical of the government--and even more ironic--how come the government hasn't killed Chomskey? He's living proof his contentions are false. If I were president of this "evil" empire, I'd have them all secretly killed. According to Chomsky, that's what government does. But if it is, it's doing a lousy job. Keep in mind, Chomsky is the same man who still insists the Soviet Union was an open and free society without any opression or government controlled media. Think about that while watching this film.

Rating:
Summary: Manufacturing Concent
Review: The most important film that I have ever seen. It is very comforting to know that I am not the only person that thinks this way. Chomsky!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!