Say tomorrow, The Washington Post writes, “Jeff Bezos has the biggest dick in the world.” We have to question that — because Jeff Bezos owns WaPo, and it’s not exactly going to be an honest broker about its owner’s dick. But if WaPo backs that claim with actual evidence, proving that Jeff Bezos indeed has the world’s biggest dick, then sure, whatever.

(P.S. This post is not about Jeff Bezos’s dick.)

Similarly, say tomorrow WaPo reports that Jeff Bezos has a tiny dick. Then we have to think — maybe that’s true — because why would a newspaper owned by Bezos say something like that about their own owner!? And even if WaPo doesn’t back it up with evidence, we might still be inclined to believe it. and when WaPo backs that claim with actual evidence, then sure, whatever.

The lesson from that is when we reach to the conclusion of “sure, whatever”, we didn’t reach that because of what WaPo says, but because what WaPo “back it up with compelling evidence”. Remember, we should be cuck of “back it up with compelling evidence”, not of anything less.

“Legacy media bad!”!? absolutely. and it always was.

Today’s media atmosphere isn’t about journalism; it’s about serving the interests of those who own or fund them. It used to be less obvious in the past, but over time, Friedman-Capitalism engulfed journalism, converting it into a propaganda & business about clicks, TRP, and views instead of — you know — journalism: the fourth estate of democracy.

If the media is owned or funded by the rich, it serves the interests of the rich. If it’s funded by the public, it serves the interests of the public.

Information environment are turning. Political conversations today are dominated — even determined — by social media algorithms. We are so connected in this internet age that living inside our own bubbles (or alternate realities) is only going to get worse. Like legacy media, everyone — independent media, influencers, social media accounts, you name it — is equally susceptible to pandering to whoever funds them.

Ask this: Who does it benefits when I think this!?