samedi 18 octobre 2008

Guarding what?

The Guardian guards the illusion that all will be well. In a truly desperate article is illustrates all that its mission is about. First, that irritating use of the past tense again. At the time, the paper doesn't report 'Catastrophe imminent!' for fear of alarming its readership. But a few days later, it seeks to reassure by claiming 'The week disaster was averted'. Saved again. But who is saved we wonder? This brings us onto the second point. In this guff piece, it's Warren Buffet who is reported as saying "All is now well - go forth and buy!" Of all the people to ask. A billionaire share dealer. So, finally, what is the Guardian guarding? The peper is certanly not guarding the lot of the averagely paid working people of Britain. Or else it would be screaming with righteous indignation and rage against this giveaway to the financial elites. When sections of the workers plan sstrikes, the paper has in the past, urged them not to be greedy and seek arbitration and has used all its weight to support the government line. There have been exceptions, of course, which ust about saved its liberal credo. The reader is disappointed and annoyed but, hey, at least it kind of supported the miners...

Here, it's the complete opposite. Acceptance, acquiesence and bland reassurance. It is guarding the status quo from attacks on the left. In times of crisis, the role of key institutions is revealed. The BBC is another example. One might have thought so-called leftish papers might be an exception, but no, there it is in plain view. The media truly is a conceptual cage. Case proven beyond a shadow.

It should make the reader sick.