Chandran Nair – Neocolonialism, media propaganda, never-ending wars: Served with ketchup and fries
In his examination of societies, Karl Marx showed how the economic base of a society determined or shaped its political and its social structures. The ruling classes always buttressed their position by political structures that maintained their dominance. Control of political power, (parliaments, judicial systems , the police and the military) for this dominance was vital.
However, just as vital was control over the ideas of each society. Literature and the arts, film and music that celebrate the system or just critique around the fringes are promoted and financed. And in capitalist society everything has become a commodity. Its power is recognised and monetised by massive corporations.
The themes and topics of literature and the arts reflect the society that spawns it. Chandran Nair’s article examines the political, social and idealogical state of U.S.A. 2025.
Sick, corrupt and deluded with millions of inhabitants hanging onto the vestiges of its earlier good times the United States no longer retains the allure of its selling power, its soft power that it projects to the world.
Australia is not isolated nor immune to these influences. Until the mid 20th Century British culture and norms ruled the roost as empire preference (British) theatre, literature and film dominated here. By the 1970’s the massive power of U.S. entertainment corporations had overtaken the British stranglehold on Australian culture. The then, new medium of television was a major player. There was an end to fake BBC accents which were replaced by fake yankee twangs. The nascent Australian cultural revivalists pushed back with an outpouring of books films and plays and people yearned for an Australian voice. Quotas were introduced for Australian content.
Now in the decentralised, atomised digital age, the force and magnitude of U.S. cultural soft power on all platforms, for all tastes has been magnified. Think Netflix, Amazon or Disney, and Youtube; so much is available for a price. Before the internet age, governments were willing and able to practise a modicum of control. Now there is no central mechanism and there are millions of sources all aided by massive corporations that earn by subscription or data mining. The imperative is to have people on line as long as possible watching any type of content.
All in all, more than ever, the Australian people are subjected to the offerings of the sick superpower. Chandran Nair’s article offers insight into the nature of the beast. (link below)
johnmenadue.com/post/2025/06/neocolonialism-media-propaganda-never-ending-wars-served-with-ketchup-and-fries-part-2/
