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From: COWAN@XX.LCS.MIT.EDU (Richard A. Cowan)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Do we really need to leave this planet?
Message-ID: <12189712104.13.COWAN@XX.LCS.MIT.EDU>
Date: Mon, 10-Mar-86 20:28:28 EST
Article-I.D.: XX.12189712104.13.COWAN
Posted: Mon Mar 10 20:28:28 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 12-Mar-86 04:45:53 EST
References: <8603080901.AA13934@ji.berkeley.edu>
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>	What sinister force could have prompted Mr. Cowan to submit his
>posting?  Who could possibly make money off it?  Could it be that
>the influence of the vested interests in the net debate warps the
>arguments we read, and thereby manipulating our needs?  Who's
>mainpulating us?  For what sinister purpose?  Inquiring minds want to
>know.
>	Does that sound silly to you?  Gee, me too.  I'm sick of reading
>vague hints about mysterious conspiracies of the government and/or media.
>Forget it!  There are tabloids in every supermarket that peddle this crap...

There's no "evil conspiracy!"  I have great faith in human beings.  No
person does something they think is evil.  Yet it is obvious that we
are manipulated every day in order to make us buy certain brands of
paper towels or soft drinks, to choose certain phone companies, or
sign up for insurance policies (especially veterans and people aged 65
and over).  Millions of people are employed to perform this
manipulation.  The purpose is, of course, profit.  It's just the way
the system works.  And just because it works that way doesn't mean we
should view it as "evil."

The manipulation of the free press is more complex, I admit.  But
imagine that you are a reporter.  If you're about to charge that some
big corporation is doing something wrong, you'd better damn well make
sure that your points are well substantiated, or your editors will get
a flood of angry letters or phone calls.  So the press is more careful
on sensitive matters.

Simply consider: why hasn't the press mentioned that the "Teacher in
Space" public relations promotion was originally brought up to defuse
the opposition by the teacher's union to Reagan education cuts?  Why
hasn't the press asked for a copy of the State of the Union Address
that would have been delivered if the Shuttle had made it?  You can
certainly bet that that speech was destroyed.

The "sinister force" that prompted my message was just a course
entitled "Media And Public Policy."  Enough on this topic.  If you
want references, please send me a note personally.

rich (cowan@mit-xx)
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