Episode 196: The REALLY Big Necessity

April 5, 2022

Central Thesis

Advertising corrupts journalism and public discourse because it influences what stories are covered, emphasized, and ultimately, what information the public receives. This corruption is especially dangerous because journalism is vital for recognizing and curbing the evils involved in making money.

Key Arguments

• The Miasma Theory Analogy: Just as people clung to the false miasma theory because of their aversion to bad smells (linked to the amygdala's emotional response), people cling to advertising-supported journalism despite the mounting evidence of its inherent bias and control.
• Interface as Filter: Drawing from Stephen Johnson's Interface Culture, Jim argues that interfaces, including browsers, search engines, and social media, filter information. These filters are increasingly influenced by advertising, shaping our perception of reality.
• Behavior Modification: Building on Jaron Lanier's work, advertising has evolved from fleeting pitches to continuous behavior modification through personalized stimuli. This "engagement," a euphemism, is actually addiction and manipulation.
• Sinclair Maxim: The podcast concludes by applying the "Sinclair maxim" – it is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it – to the pervasive influence of advertising on journalism. Journalists cannot objectively report on the practices of advertisers when their livelihood depends on their funding.

Notable Passages

• "The business model of capturing your attention means that I'm really here to basically drill into your brain and get the attention out. If I can sell it to somebody else."
• "So-called advertisers can seize the moment when you are in a situation where you are perfectly primed and then influence you with messages that have worked on other people who share traits and situations with you."
• "The pushers will strain mightily to transform their ads into information services by making purportedly educated guesses about our every passing whim."
• "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it."

Rhetorical Approach

Jim utilizes a blend of historical examples (the cholera epidemic, the miasma theory), literary references (Rose George, Stephen Johnson, Jaron Lanier, Upton Sinclair), and sardonic humor to build his argument. He frames his points through book reviews and analysis, interlaced with personal anecdotes and direct calls to action to encourage critical thinking about media consumption. He often employs hyperbolic language and provocative questioning to challenge the listener's assumptions.

Connections

• Other episodes: References Episode 57, Cucumber Monkeys, and Episode 115, With this pin, I stitch some dumb.
• Thinkers: Rose George, Stephen Johnson (Interface Culture, The Ghost Map), Jaron Lanier (Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now), Upton Sinclair.
• Cultural touchstones: Mystery Science Theater 3000, Beavis and Butthead, Mary Shelley's novella, Jerry Mander's book on television, Florence Nightingale