"Entertainment" and "popular culture" are about social engineering, NOT entertaining the public or even primarily making money

294  2017-07-30 by ponerologist

Many things about our society can justifiably be called 'Orwellian' in reference to Orwell's classic dystopian novel 1984, but I would say that currently we're closer to the 'dictatorship without tears' of Huxley's Brave New World, in that we're all entertaining ourselves into submission with a steady diet of increasingly depraved TV shows, movies, popular music and pornography.

Entertainment is a great way, if not THE best way to subtly shape people's opinions, beliefs, habits and perceptions. If you're laughing, or sexually aroused, or in some other state of heightened emotions, you're much less likely to think critically about the underlying messages that are being communicated, or the desensitising effect of extreme content.

The influence of the subconscious mind is very poorly understood, as well. You can't simply educate a guy who's been getting off to violent porn since the age of 12 that women are equal and deserve to be treated with respect by telling him that, because while those words may be understood at the conscious level, that notion contradicts everything he's been conditioned to believe at a very deep level by powerful sexually-charged visuals which are indelibly imprinted in his mind.

I find it plausible that intelligence agencies would place their agents strategically across different movements to influence and control the narrative in the desired direction. In this way, even positive movements can be corrupted, discredited, neutralised or steered in a negative direction. Examples: feminism; modern art

Be vigilant and question everything, including - or especially - those things you think you 'like'.

EDIT: Another problem with this entertainment-obsessed culture is that the majority of people spend their precious time consuming what other people have created - they rarely create anything for themselves. The feeling of accomplishment when you create something of your own, whether it's a well-cooked meal, a beautiful piece of art, a song, etc. - is infinitely more satisfying and rewarding in comparison.

39 comments

1  cloudyoutside 2017-07-30

Super wise words, and well written. It's almost impossible for me to disagree with what you said. I made the best dinner I have ever made for my wife and I last night and I could not stop congratulating myself lol. So I totally get you on creating things rather than consuming the created. I will be more conscious of how much I am consuming and creating.

1  ponerologist 2017-07-30

That's lovely. Thank you for the validation, and congratulations on your culinary prowess :P

1  LurkPro3000 2017-07-30

I agree whole heartedly as well. The pill popping-to-fix-your-emotions culture of Brave New World is quite prevalent in the US as well, perpetuated by our legal commercials promoting them as a great solution.

I would say the TV culture of Orwell is also used. The new smart TVs have listening devices and cameras "for convenience". Also, the required viewing of '30 minutes of hate' in 1984 is quite reminiscent of our current news programming.

1  DumbledoreSays 2017-07-30

While we are talking about insights from 1984, how many stop to consider the possibility that we are being lied to about military technology?

1  Its-Space_time 2017-07-30

I'm unable to watch the video, can you summarize?

1  DumbledoreSays 2017-07-30

In 1984, the telescreens talk about fake enemies and fake wars. In 1984, the masses are scared by fake missiles and fake bombs. Today, we are told that North Korea could shoot nuclear missiles our way at any moment...

1  Its-Space_time 2017-07-30

Oh yes. I'm familiar. Read the book, just wasn't able to watch the video.

1  totally6667 2017-07-30

Great and fantastic post OP

1  TORNasunder2 2017-07-30

You got it. Media has always been about thought control. If you want to be free then the first step is to stop consuming media. We are what we create and consume. And since most only consume then they are purely a product of their consumption.

The influence of the subconscious mind is WELL understood by those who control the media.

Infiltration and subversion is Standard Operating Procedure for secret societies, and intelligence services by their very nature are secret societies, state sponsored ones.

1  LurkPro3000 2017-07-30

This. Ever wonder why ever since the digital revolution from airwave broadcast, all news programmings have swirling circles and constant movement of various digital shapes and symbols in the background? It is sigil magick, or basically another way to "hypnotize" the viewers and make them much more susceptible to accept suggestions and statements unquestioningly. They know exactly what they are doing.

1  BaronMoriarty 2017-07-30

Nice point. Never thought of that

1  selux 2017-07-30

Any examples you can share with us if what you're referencing?

1  LurkPro3000 2017-07-30

Sure. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gokgnAQoqgc

https://5ocietyx.wordpress.com/tag/sigil-magic/

1  Chalcosoma-atlas 2017-07-30

In my experience, the people most driven by ego and emotion tend to also be big consumers of reality shows and celebrity news. So many of these 'role models' are just people with poor emotional control that others feed on.

I wonder if there is no greater force shaping these things, just a ton of market research that knows how to play people like a fiddle and keep them coming back for more. The overall effect is the same either way.

I like your recommendation to create things instead. I'd also suggest spending some time simply being quiet in nature. Anything to quiet the mind.

1  StillAders83 2017-07-30

Another things about reality shows, they are all about competition. Even in shows where you make an alliance you can't trust the people you're allied with because they're only on their team.

I'm thinking of someone I know that loves these shows - survivor, the bachelor, etc, and she is so miserable. Because she translates those competitive values into real life and into relationships that need cooperation to work.

1  porkpoppet 2017-07-30

Can we not confuse cheap reality TV with better produced fare?

Not all entertainment is equal. Some is art, most is not.

1  Earth_Against_Evil 2017-07-30

Yeah, most of what I watch is survival shows, (which I would consider form of reality TV) and I think they're really empowering and enlightening. Live Free or Die, Dual Survival (every season but the last), Man Woman Wild, etc., My family's currently addicted to Alaskan Bush People, which is just a really great show (when they're not cobbling together new patchwork episodes from reruns). Its about a 9-person family who lives mostly off-grid, and work together in creative ways to meet challenges. It's really inspiring to see a high-functioning group of individuals focused on freedom instead of enslavement, who are, (to varying degrees of success at varying times) mostly circumventing our fucked up consumer economy. Because that's the only way we are going to undermine the blood sucking parasites- stop feeding them. Stop buying shit you don't need. Read books, skip school. Grow and hunt your own food. Implement permaculture solutions and save the environment. Then advocate and share information. That's the only hope we have when every institution is rigged against actual solution-oriented thinking.

1  porkpoppet 2017-07-30

Well that devolved quickly.

Hey bud, you're gonna be okay.

1  DumbledoreSays 2017-07-30

In my experience, the people most driven by ego and emotion tend to also be big consumers of reality shows and celebrity news.

Yes indeed. It is a bit of a 'chicken and egg' type thing, though. How much of one variable drives the other?

1  RunDogRunDogRun 2017-07-30

My conclusions are opposite of yours.Whats given to us is what we want and what our nature desires. Blame normal primate human behaviour. Never in history has culture and society been so decentralised or have creative opportunity, the creative tools and tech so cheap. Never in history has free press been so free and cheap and open. The media consumption options and choices are endless. Ive got youtube giving me videos all day long on chinese zithers, drone races,and guitar blue jams in the key of G.
When I was a kid I only had the option of watching 2 or 3 channels....and you call modern media brain washing? You live in paradise and dont even know it. Dont believe me then buy a fresh banana from across the glove for a quarter

1  quexotijj 2017-07-30

Every artist or media creator has their own relationship to power and the powers that be. Some media is "subversive" and questions or undermines the framework of the status quo, some media is neutral with regard to it, and some is very supportive of it, as you point out in your post, not without reason, but, as someone involved in entertainment, a bit of an over-generalization in my opinion.

For instance, Orwell was a writer of fiction, and thus, entertainment too, to some degree. His work gave you the framework to criticize other work, so, ergo, not all fiction-entertainment and media is created equal.

1  polkadotgirl 2017-07-30

I totally agree! Check out my latest post if possible and tell me your thoughts : )

1  ponerologist 2017-07-30

Yes, I'm a big fan of your posts! I'll respond directly to your latest post when I can. I'd love to pick your brains on things, we've reached many of the same conclusions :)

1  polkadotgirl 2017-07-30

Yay!

1  Iamamansass 2017-07-30

They are about bending the natural laws of subconscious and creating reality in your mind.

1  IAMN30 2017-07-30

Boy, T.V. sure took off in popularity after the Nazis were absorbed into the C.I.A. and, low and behold, began experimenting with MIND CONTROL. Research Project Paperclip!

1  23Heart23 2017-07-30

Have you not seen A Rich Mans Trick? The Americans were the Nazis.

1  Its-Space_time 2017-07-30

Is that a mocie

1  23Heart23 2017-07-30

YouTube documentary. The last hour on JFK is rubbish, the first two hours are great

1  fruiscantepepper 2017-07-30

Your last paragraph is powerful, well said!

1  ponerologist 2017-07-30

Thanks! It was an afterthought, but turned out to be fairly central to my overall point.

1  Gripy123 2017-07-30

Kids shows are made primarily for educating children and socializing them with taxpayer money and profit. It's been a revolutionary tool. There's a huge difference between them and adult programs as movies which clearly are byproducts of capitalizing off supply and demand in pop culture. That's where the money is. Your suspicions are dramatically paranoid and imo result from your failure to socialize properly through the mainstream. Aka you sound like a shut-in :/

1  ponerologist 2017-07-30

Yeah... I'm gonna disagree with every one of your statements above, unsurprisingly.

I've done plenty of 'socializing through the mainstream', and that can be pretty overrated IMO.

I think what we have learned here is that you and I are not going to find much common ground.

1  Gripy123 2017-07-30

I don't expect you to agree with anything. Whether or not the mainstream is overrated doesn't negate that it's the healthiest way to live. A minority of people aren't compatible with normal socialization yuh, but it doesn't mean mainstream things are fucked up beyond it being primarily about making money. I believe in social engineering, but im not convinced it's a cause for concern. You should want your kids to be "socially engineered" to the extent that it fulfills a sense of belonging and competence

1  ponerologist 2017-07-30

TIL I have an unhealthy lifestyle :( plz teach me the right way to live!! Brb, just gonna go put on some wholesome YouTube videos for the kids....

A sense of belonging and competence = down with the status quo basically.

'It is no measure of health to be well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society.' - some weirdo mystic dude who just needed more friends and TV in his life. :(

1  swift_cat_support 2017-07-30

This is very true and well articulated. I've been thinking this for a bit, but you expressed it much better than I could. thanks for taking the time to do that!

HIGH QUALITY POST :)

1  HibikiSS 2017-07-30

When I realized just how much influence the elites had in society I started seeing everyday life as a prison.

1  Chaddy92 2017-07-30

We willingly watch though.

1  pmichel 2017-07-30

Well said! We have become addicted to entertainment.

1  23Heart23 2017-07-30

YouTube documentary. The last hour on JFK is rubbish, the first two hours are great