How did they sell us non-stop violence and possible world war? Who are “they”?
The current era’s normalization of extreme violence is the result of decades of social conditioning which launched into high gear during the early 1980’s. We were sold violence through entertainment, video games, and the general bellicose war rhetoric from vote seeking politicians.
During 1980 the U.S. military budget stood at $144 billion. By 1988, it had more than doubled to $310 billion (The Department of Defense’s current fiscal year budget exceeds $841 billion). The increased militarization of U.S. society had a noticeable impact on the Nation’s zeitgeist.
As violence became normalized, the U.S. increasingly marched off to war. There were the U.S. and/or NATO led military actions in Yugoslavia (1999), Afghanistan (2001), Iraq (2003), Libya (2011), Syria (2011). This was followed by the provocative “pivot to Asia” during 2012–a direct challenge to China; then the 2013-14 Western supported Maidan Revolution in Ukraine, which overthrew a democratically elected but somewhat pro-Russian president and triggered the Russian annexation of Crimea. Currently, there is the Western supported Israeli slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza.
This all occurred while the entertainment and gaming industries provided programming with increasingly violent content–each seemingly trying to outdo their competitors in the level of violence on display. This is how “they” sold us violence and the normalization of war which has culminated in the current moment where we find ourselves on the verge of world war.
Who are “they”? As mentioned, there are the political actors who promote war because, for the moment, it will appeal to the masses, and perhaps beef-up contributions from defense firms; speaking of which, but more broadly speaking, “they” also include the Military Industrial Complex: a public-private conglomeration of actors, institutions, and corporate bodies which act out of both authentic ideological beliefs and/or profit seeking greed; also, corporate upper management and creative types in the gaming and entertainment industries who roll out never-ending-violent programming; and, perhaps most importantly, the shareholders of corporate producers of all this nonsense, who demand competitive profits, regardless of product, which can include pretty much anyone with a pension plan. “They” are also the consumers, who buy the violent offerings because, frankly, there isn’t much else purchase.
It turns out, “they”, are almost all of us. We are the victims of our own carnivorous quest for economic gain and ideological supremacy, both of which apparently justify an increasing level of violence, both real and imagined, which leads us to world war.
It is the violent, baser instinct found within us which must be resisted. Yet, the violence is sold to us, without nuance, in such enticing ways: with good guys and bad guys, sometimes wrapped in a flag; resulting in perceptions of violence which might be beautiful, noble, even righteous. For some, it is too much to resist.
So here we stand on the verge of world war and the choice is ours. Do we stand behind the forces within, and without, which succumb to violence, whatever the motivating force–or do we stand tall in the peaceful force which also resides within, and without; grow our numbers, unite with peacemakers across the globe and say “no, we refuse to walk this path”.
The decision is ours.
Comments welcomed, civility requested.