In 1984 George Orwell predicted a world where people were heavily regulated and kept from doing anything out of norm. The world has very much become that which Orwell predicted but in a completely different manner. Instead of watching 24/7 for abnormalities Big Brother just keeps us distracted. He dances and sings, he invented the commercial break to keep us distracted from the truth.

Today I watched a movie where Peter Jennings describes the media's role in Hitler's rise to power. In every step of the way the media was there to support and never questioned him. And I was thinking hmm isn't this a little ironic? Lets consider what happened in Rwanda, western countries had the power to step in but the did not. So thats not quite the same it was already happening and we could have stopped it but it was really far away and all. So what about here at home what has the US directly participated in. Well a few I can think of are: the gross underpayment and unfair labor practices of sweatshop workers worldwide, the unequal trade rate given to third world countries for their goods (in the name of American agriculture and industry), the overthrow of numerous uncooperative leaders: Arbenz- Guatemala, Allende- Chile, overthrow of the Sandanistas in Nicaragua, organization of contras in Nicaragua, coup establishment of Montt in Guatemala-- and that’s just a portion of Latin America.) Sure he can talk about Hitler now, everyone can talk about Hitler but what about what’s going on today.

The only critique of these practices has come from outside the mainstream media. The major media in our country is centered around money. SO the major media outlets are not going to include too much that doesn’t interest readers for fear of losing readership (people = $). And the fact is, the suffering of far away people doesn’t matter to the majority of public as long as it is out of sight (a local example is San Diego’s recent laws passed to keep homeless people out of the nice downtown area- out of sigh out of mind). This, however is a catch 22. How can it ever matter if it is never seen, never talked about?

I suppose the point of this rant is Peter Jennings doesn’t even realize that his own ABC would have been there to back up Hitler in the 1940's, but its not just him. The role of the media and intellectuals should be to uncover injustices and share their concern about them to help us all tune out Big Brother and refocus on the overall situation of the world not just our economically successful bubble. The role of the public then should be to take interest and take action. And I hope that will be more of a reality in the future.