Perspectives: Narrative isn’t the same thing as reality

Stock images | Image of Julian Assange courtesy of https://www.flickr.com/photos/55361146@N08/9260194206 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/; all other images courtesy of Pixabay, St. George News

OPINION — Seeing the world as it really is can be more difficult than it sounds. Even those who are actively seeking truth, as opposed to those who are merely seeking affirmation of what they already believe, have their work cut out for them.

Watching the latest eruption of mass hysteria has been equal parts fascinating and horrifying.

To hear the U.S. media and some on the political left tell it, the president’s meeting with Vladimir Putin was the equivalent of another 9/11 attack. With the nonstop coverage of the summit and the incessant howling for increased conflict with Russia, one might conclude that our nation is under deadly attack by an implacable foreign foe.

Except for the fact that the Russiagate outrage is based primarily upon narrative rather than verifiable events, and this narrative is being pushed on us not only by the same intelligence agencies that openly lied about spying on us but their highly paid shills in the media as well.

If we’re determined to have a firm, individual grasp of reality, then we must start recognizing how much of what the public thinks about a given subject is determined by narrative.

Narrative is often based upon emotional stories, and that’s why sociopaths find it so useful as a tool to manipulate how the public thinks about certain issues. The key to becoming resistant to manipulation is to become propaganda-proof.

Edward Bernays is sometimes touted as “the father of public relations.” What he is best known for is his seminal work “Propaganda,” which was published in 1928.

Bernays was a pioneer in what he referred to as “the engineering of consent” among the masses. The key to successfully manipulating the public was to do it in such a way that they did not realize they were being propagandized.

Bernays explained why this steering of public opinion was beneficial:

The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, and our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of…. It is they who pull the wires that control the public mind.

To the people who wish to control others, it’s essential they also control the narrative that informs the day-to-day worldview of the public. As long as we remain convinced that those who are in power must be obeyed, their control remains unchallenged.

However, if we were to begin questioning how they are using their power or whether they should be exercising certain powers in the first place, their influence over us would be greatly diminished.

Naturally, this makes anyone who challenges the official narrative an enemy of the system.

This is why the Western powers-that-be have been so insistent upon getting their hands on Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

Assange has pulled the curtain back on the official narrative and shown the illegal and abusive behavior and tactics of those in power – most often with their own documents. Wikileaks has brought forth truth about the systems that would rule us, at a time when universal deceit is the norm.

Glenn Greenwald of the Intercept reports that a deal may have been struck between Ecuadoran authorities and Britain to expel Assange from the embassy soon.

For this reason, authorities in Britain have patiently lain in wait for Assange to step foot out of the Ecuadoran embassy where he has sought asylum for the past few years. It’s presumed that upon taking Assange into custody, the Brits will turn him over to American authorities who will finally get a shot at payback for his truth-telling.

The key thing to remember here is that Assange has harmed no one. Charges that Assange has figurative “blood on his hands” pale in comparison to the literal innocent blood spilled by the panicked defenders of the system, still seeking to hide their actions.

Assange has brought authentic official misdeeds to light, thanks to courageous whistleblowers whose consciences haven’t been silenced or bought off. He’s shown us where the official narrative has deliberately misled us.

Silencing Assange and others who may be tempted to speak unpopular truths is key to maintaining the narrative we’re suppose to believe. This is why we’d be wise to stop simply accepting the narratives being offered to us and start scrutinizing the motives of the people who are pushing them.

Instead of squandering all of our energy on politics and personalities, we should be in the habit of carefully analyzing the ruling structures that seek power over us and deciding whether they deserve our support or not.

The required shift from servant to citizen begins when we’re willing to question the narrative we’re expected to believe.

Bryan Hyde is an opinion columnist specializing in current events and liberty viewed through what he calls the lens of common sense. The opinions stated in this article are his own and may not be representative of St. George News.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @youcancallmebry

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

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17 Comments

  • No Filter July 23, 2018 at 4:06 pm

    You Trump supporters will say anything to defend him. You state we need to make sure the powers that be do not remain unchallenged, yet you criticize those of us who are challenging Trump and his cabinet for doing so. You are nothing but a hypocrite.

  • Mike July 23, 2018 at 4:09 pm

    Nicely done!

  • Steve July 23, 2018 at 7:49 pm

    Trump is indeed a treacherous con man and a sexual predator.

    • mesaman July 23, 2018 at 8:35 pm

      “Those of us who are challenging Trump”. You mean those of us who whine and whimper and throw tantrums, create violent encounters against those who refuse to agree, who burn Old Glory, betray veterans, use judicial appointments to avoid justice and mete out the socialist theme, who would vote for Donald Duck if he was a member of the dung beetle party (aka democrat), who refuse to admit Hillary is a pathetic immoral beast who has committed more crimes than Al Capone, and on and on and on. If I’m a hypocrite then I am a proud hypocrite and one who holds patriotism over party.

      • Mike July 23, 2018 at 9:14 pm

        Yes indeed!

      • bikeandfish July 23, 2018 at 10:41 pm

        Did you respond to the wrong post, mesaman?

        And in all sincerity, what was the point of your post, its not very coherent?

        • John July 24, 2018 at 8:16 am

          Speaking of those who whine an whimper…….hahahahaha!

    • Phil Mcc July 24, 2018 at 2:59 pm

      Hahahah… Steve O. Always good for a laugh

  • bikeandfish July 23, 2018 at 10:57 pm

    Its an ironic column given Hyde mostly deals in narrative control and not facts.

    Per Russia, we have a ton of evidence to back up the dialog: 29 page indictment from a few weeks ago; arrest and indictment records for alleged Russian spy Maria Butina; sworn testimony regarding infiltration of 20+ state election systems by Russian spies; sworn testimony by Facebook on Russia activity during 2016 election; documents regarding Cambridge Analytica and access by Russians; etc, etc. Its all evidence, hence the legal proceedings.

    The evidence is clear on Russia meddling in American elections. Hyde can freely draw whatever opinions he wants from that evidence but its just too rich to hear a local partisan pundit complain about narrative over fact given the content of his columns.

  • John July 24, 2018 at 12:33 am

    The leftists and reality? Mutually exclusive.. Period, no argument, game , set match!..

  • goodallman July 24, 2018 at 7:16 pm

    I am an independent. This is a narrative in and of itself. More propaganda from the right. I saw what Trump said in Helsinki with my own eyes. I don’t need anyone’s media to explain to me treason or not, when I see it.

    • bikeandfish July 24, 2018 at 9:54 pm

      Most constitutional scholars I’ve read believe treason is defined by a relationship with an enemy of the state, specifically one we are at war with as a country. At the moment we are not at war with Russia so Trump’s behavior in Helsinki doesn’t meet the definitions of treason.

      I find his behavior regarding Russia abhorant but claims of treason seem to stretch beyond the facts we currently have at our disposal.

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