South-East Europe On The Edge Of Civilization: Depending Who You Ask – Media (Il)literacy – Essay
By Prof. Dr. Sabahudin Hadzialic
Let us try to establish analyses and outcomes for the appearance of media (il)literacy within South East Europe, and through it, of the most controversial, but extremely respected intellectual dissident in the last decade – Noam Chomsky, who has compiled a list of the ten most common and effective strategies resorted to by “hidden” agendas to establish a manipulation of the population through the media.
The efforts of USAID with regards to media literacy should have been addresses, but, why then has nothing happened since they started teaching the local people in the Balkans? Maybe because they did not want to listen the above mentioned USA dissident:
1. The strategy of distraction
The primary element of social control is the strategy of distraction aimed at diverting public attention from important issues and changes determined by the political and economic elites, via the technique of flooding continuous distractions and insignificant information. Distraction strategy is also essential to prevent the public interest in the essential knowledge in the area of the science, economics, psychology, neurobiology and cybernetics. “Maintaining public attention diverted away from the real social problems, captivated by matters of no real importance. Keep the public busy, busy, busy, no time to think, back to farm and other animals (quote from text Silent Weapons for Quiet War ).”
2015 – Instead of fighting against poverty:
Bosnia and Herzegovina – implementation of the October elections 2014 – it took them almost five months to do so – who will get the power (read: money and the control of the resources) – while at the same time the protests of workers does not stop in Tuzla, Travnik, Bihać, Zavidovići, Banja Luka….
Croatia – will the Minister of Defense resign from the post because of the protests of the war veterans in tents in front of his office? Almost six months like soap opera while at the same time every town in Croatia slowly but surely gets so called “humanitarian market shops” where the prices are lower than in the real one! Why?
Macedonia – Almost 22,000 people were followed by secret services – opposition leader said last month (listening and recording their phone conversation) while the country is falling into the chaos of corruption and poverty.
Serbia – Vojislav Šešelj (who just a few days ago has been called back to Den Haag at the International Tribunal to continue 12 years of trial for War Crimes) burned a Croatian flag in the centre of Belgrade (Serbia) on April 1 giving more time to the local (and their neighbors) politicians to spend more months (what is the next?) talking about this political and human clown who said that he will come to Croatia, but on abattle tank?! – All this is happening while people in Serbia are losing their minds because of poverty!
Montenegro – Every now and then somebody dies in the buses driving on the Europe’s worst roads on Montenegrin mountains and while that happens (within last 30 years, almost twice a year a major crash happens) nobody from the Government has done anything to fix the problem, but talking about the “Sutorina” issue is more important than to talk about how to fix the roads within the smallest Republic of ex-Yugoslavia. Where is the poverty here? Just walk on the streets of Podgorica and you will see how many beggars there are.
Indeed, the strategy of distraction exists very deeply within the area of Balkan peninsula – sorry – of the region of South-East Europe – sorry – ex Yugoslavia. Again, sorry – within the area of the lost mind and the area of organized anarchy.
Media illiteracy exists so much that the people in every one of the above mentioned countries are fed up with the emptiness of time dedicated to listening, watching and participating in the media by “the problems” while being robbed by (s)elected leaders.
How to become media literate?
- By reading through the media, rather than reading with them.
- By trying to see what is behind the scene because whoever talks about the conspiracy is the one who creates it.
- By understanding that all the people are red below/under their skin, regardless if they are politicians and/or just the people.
I am distracted with this. Are you?
P.S: Next time I will write on “Create problems, and then offer solutions”