Walter Lippmann

WALTER LIPPMANN Walter Lippmann b.1889-d.1974 Journalist, a media critic, amateur philosopher WWI - Capitan US army Served intelligence division of American Expeditionary Forces (AEF), France Spin-doctor / adviser to President Woodrow Wilson In terms of censorship, Lippmann was not an absolute defender of the free speech doctrine; although he considered that there were dangers of suppression and cautioned against permitting censorship by a censor who was not aware of those dangers or tolerant of free speech. Coined phrase  "cold war" (1947 book of that title).  Every time we hear that expression (and we hear it quite a lot now that the neo-cons are stirring up aggression against Russia), we can think of dear old proto neo-con, Walter Lippmann. Coined term:  "stereotype". News and truth were not synonymous (analogous, corresponding) to Lippmann. Lippmann:  "function of news is to signalize an event, the function of truth is to bring to light the hidden facts, to set them in relation with each other, and make a picture of reality on which men can act." Journalist's 'truth' is subjective.  It is also limited to how the journalist constructs his reality. So news is: "imperfectly recorded". Lippman did not consider news/journalism as:  "an organ of direct democracy” Gather he did not see it as playing a role in democracy, but it's hard to say without reading further. Lippmann believed that voters: = ignorant re issues & policies. = lacked competence to participate in public life. = cared little for participating in political process. Book 'Public Opinion' 1922, Lippmann wrote that: "a "governing class" must rise to face the new challenges." and he considered it "possible to sanitize polluted information". Lippmann contended that:  functioning on an unconscious 'seeing through stereotypes' basis resulted in our being subjected to partial truths. Therefore, according to Lippmann, the idea of the public being equipped (or competent) to direct public affairs is a "false ideal." Political savvy of an average man = "theatre-goer walking into a play in middle of the third act and leaving before the last curtain." On mass culture, in his book Public Opinion (1922), Lippmann said: mass man functioned as a "bewildered herd" mass man must be governed by "a specialized class whose interests reach beyond the locality" elite class of intellectuals and experts were to be a machinery of knowledge purpose of the elite class of 'experts':  to circumvent the main defect of democracy:  the "omni-competent citizen" ideal. Lippmann's attitude, by the standards of the 1920s, was considered liberal. Liberal because it was, according to Wikipedia, "endorsing the continuation of civil society rather than populist fascism."  Hmmmm, so compared to some whacky extreme where you have no rights, this is a 'liberal' stand ... if you don't mind not knowing that you have no say. 1946 -  Lippmann leading public advocate of: need to respect a Soviet sphere of influence in Europe versus containment strategy OMG!  Nothing's changed:  neo-cons are pushing for NATO 'containment' to this day. "Manufacture of Consent" was one of Lippmann's catch phrases (used by Noam Chomsky and Edward S. Herman, in their book of same name). Similar views to Gabriel Almond, American political scientist (and WWII war office analyst of propaganda). Almond-Lippmann consensus on these points: Public opinion is volatile, shifting erratically in response to the most recent developments ... Public opinion is incoherent, lacking an organized or a consistent structure ... Public opinion is irrelevant to the policy-making process. Political leaders ignore public opinion because most Americans can neither "understand nor influence the very events upon which their lives and happiness are known to depend." So that's Walter Lippmann.  Really detested him reading this. His only saving grace is that he wasn't on the 'containment' of Russia bandwagon. See Lippmann as the typical neo-con NGO, USG revolving door, spin doctor that tells us how to think today. ---------------------------------- Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Lippmann