Morning Comrades.
These past few weeks have restarted an interest in the question of morality and morals over at this end, a loaded subject to be sure, and one that continuously evolves to be sure. When I first started University, the subject, obviously, was one of the cornerstones in my studies and truth be told at the tender age of 18 much of it didn’t make sense, let alone seemed relevant. When we first start learning, ideally, of morals and morality we are presented with the discourse between good and evil, right and wrong and how, again ideally, these play a role in our own understanding of ones self, our collective understanding of a society and then how we, if at all, apply these in our governance of ourselves and subsequently how our societies interact with one another. Over time I have come to the understanding that, similar to all man-made social constructs, that these exist for a purpose, irrespective of their original intent, are changeable and most importantly, applicable to whomever holds power.
With the ongoing war in Palestine and the reactions around the world the question of morality and rule have been heavy on my mind and are under constant re-evaluation, as you may or may not have read into these last few days. When the war in Ukraine started the dismantling of the Western, US led unipolarity - in all its breadth - appeared to have been set in motion, more visible for all to see, myself included. Rightfully so, the focus was predominately on material realities, economics especially. However, or rather additionally to be sure, with the above in mind, it has once again become utterly clear how much the Bourgeoise Class and our Power Structures here in the West have and remain dependent at home on manufacturing a case of morality and being moral in order to justify their hold on said power and all the horrors this entails. The realities of the last few weeks have, utterly, shown the dissonance between the morality of us people and the concept utilized by those in power. This then begs the question of having to re-discuss morality, being moral, what it is, what it means and how it is utilized here - as a form of power and ultimately, control. I have half-written several pieces for this week on these subjects and will be sending them out this week. For transparencies sake and keeping you all informed on what is to come here.
For the time being, a few thoughts on the ongoing realities that are happening, that tie into the above. Morality, the principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad is utterly based on information, and subsequently pedagogy. When we are faced with the need for morality, or a moral compass so to say, we rely on information - and yes, all information is inherently biased, and we so rarely ever have access to it. If we focus on just today, and again that is a separate discussion from information at large, we all know that we cannot rely on the sources we are presented with - from legacy media to social media, it mostly serves to manufacture consent for the ruling classes. This is nothing new to state, let alone a phenomena of our generations - early Marxists and Communists have stated the same as early as the 1840s - but again, we are talking about today, especially Palestine and the points I will make are several. For one, stay the fuck away from the internet and legacy media - for the simple reasons that they are all a) profit driven b) serve no one other than their owners and the immoral need for increasing profits c) especially in the case of social are driven by negative rage engagement. Again, this is my own bias showing but work published by publishing houses exist under a different paradigm, in the sense that liability exists - it is costly to publish bullshit. Not always but often so and that creates a different level of pedagogy and information realities. Furthermore, traditional and social media companies shape mass opinions, even if the information is untrue, through several well known mechanisms:
Algorithmic Bias: Social media platforms use algorithms to determine what content users see. These algorithms often prioritize sensational or emotionally charged content, regardless of its accuracy, to maximize user engagement and time spent on the platform.
Filter Bubbles: Social media can create filter bubbles, where users are exposed to content that aligns with their existing beliefs. This reinforces confirmation bias and can lead to the spread of misinformation within specific echo chambers.
Virality: False information can spread rapidly on social media due to the ease of sharing and the viral nature of trending topics. Rumors and hoaxes can gain widespread attention before fact-checking catches up.
Echo Chambers: Traditional media can also contribute to misinformation by presenting biased or sensationalized narratives. These narratives can further polarize opinions and reinforce false beliefs within certain communities.
Lack of Accountability: In some cases, media companies may prioritize profits over accuracy, leading to the dissemination of sensational but untrue stories. Corrections and retractions often receive less attention than the original misinformation.
Political Influence: Media outlets may be influenced by political or economic interests, leading them to promote certain narratives or suppress information that doesn't align with those interests.
We all know this but it is important to put into words yet again. With that, here come resources that I have found helpful, insightful and have helped me navigate my own opinions, morality and beliefs whilst constantly trying to unlearn the above that has been instilled in my, by them. No, I am not getting paid by Verso for this and I sharing these solely on the grounds that this was helpful to me, and thus, I hope, will be for you, to find understanding, your own morality and support everyone in the quest to unlearn their reality. The majority of these resources are free and readily available.
Yours, warmly,
V.