Manufacturing dissent

Posted by | April 10, 2003 | politics | No Comments

Nick Denton writes:

“The problem with the anti-war movement is that most of its participants were more interested in protesting against authority figures in their own lives, and indifferent to the plight of the Iraqi people. They have no conception of what it’s like to live under a capricious totalitarian regime.”

You could also say:

The problem with the pro-war movement is that most of its participants are unquestioning of authority figures in their own lives, and ultimately indifferent to the plight of the Iraqi people. They have no conception of what it’s like for Arabs in the Middle East.

But it is a statement that is both empty and destructive, a viral meme. It would be a sweeping generalization that would contribute to further unnecessary polarization amongst the reasonable majority.

It would be manufactured dissent.

nickdenton.org: Conversation with a sceptic