Manufacturing consent week 2

In Manufacturing Consent the first striking image is the huge television screen in a mall with an anchor reporting on its screen. Chilling music is playing in the background and it shows how news is a one sided monologue which viewers are fed biased information. This image much reminds of Big Brother from 1984 and how Big Brother's presence was felt everywhere. Mass Media, while not as intensely authoritative, is figuratively similar to Big Brother's ubiquitous presence over the World of 1984. Similarly to Big Brother, the media has saturated most aspects of daily life with its onipresent influence.

Another powerful image is when Chomsky is a referring to a foreign Civil War in the 1600's. There is quote on a torn out piece of paper explaining how the masses were becoming arrogant and undermining the elite rule of the day. A hand then appears embracing the piece of paper, crumpling it, and disappaearing. This image alludes to the censorship that mass media has on its subjects and how it influences the way messages and news are presented. Chomsky goes on to say that Democracy is essentially a game for elites, not for ignorant masses. Chomsky believes the masses are heavily influenced by the elite control of the media. There is a manner in which news is tactically crafted to captivate and influence its' audience thinking.

Furthermore, many images of battle and wars refer to the struggle between the masses to obtain knowledge and the ruling elites monopoly of information. We are presented with imagery creating a struggle between the common man and an elite manipulative class. Lastly, I think the best image summarizing the media's stranglehold on society is when Chomsky is explaining Reinhold Niebuhr's book. We see a printing press spitting out dozens of books titled "Manufacturing Illusion". This image sums up the title "Manufacturing Consent" comparing the media to a manufacturer which is constantly producing identical products with no distinction. This image accurately describes how the media greatly influences public opinion and creates like minded individuals with similar ideals.