Stepping on Landmines in Journalism: Abby Martin & Caitlin Johnstone
So in my last post and with my dealings on Twitter I really stepped into quite a bit of shit. Seems like I pissed a lot of people off with my ridiculous hot takes and casual disregard of the Ukraine situation. Shit happens. If you were offended I apologize. It was actually not my intention to offend, although that probably doesn't seem very likely given the tone and content of my message.
Emotions run high.
I'm fairly certain I haven't seen this kind of intensity since 9/11, which is truly baffling considering that no one that I seem to have offended actually lives in the Ukraine or has family or friends there. It is nice to see that the small Ukrainian community on Hive is getting a bit of support as well. I wonder if there is more we could do to help that I may be glossing over at the moment. I suppose it is possible that a protocol like Hive could legitimately offer significant support to those who need it the most (borderlessly; worldwide). Something to think about.
I actually am a bit shocked I got the reactions that I got. I'll be the first to admit that I haven't done any kind of actual research to speak with any kind of authority on this specific issue. However, I do have two journalists I follow that I trust implicitly to report on global politics just like this one. Perhaps it was a mistake to not see what they were saying about the situation before forging my own opinion on the matter.
https://caitlinjohnstone.com/
Hm, so what does Caitlin Johnstone have to say...
WHOA...
Well, she's been busy.
Holy hell.
https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2022/02/24/twelve-thoughts-on-ukraine/
This whole thing could very easily have been avoided with a little bit of diplomacy. The only reason that didn’t happen was it would have meant the US empire taking a teensy, weensy step back from its agenda of total planetary domination.
Please don’t report facts on your media platforms. Don’t let anyone talk about the known actions by NATO powers and Kyiv which experts have long warned would lead to this situation. You’re not allowed to talk about the known US/NATO/Ukraine actions which demonstrably led us to where we’re at. You’re only allowed to say Putin attacked Ukraine completely unprovoked, in a vacuum, solely because he is evil and hates freedom.
Hm, that's like... exactly what happened in the comments of my last post.
What a coincidence.
We survived the last cold war by sheer, dumb luck. We were never once in control. We just got lucky. There’s no reason to trust that we’ll get lucky again. We need to abandon this madness and pursue detente immediately.
Ah well I guess my claims of not being worried about WW3 are perhaps a bit overzealous. I can take the loss and recant that statement. Still, what good is being afraid of something that we have no power over? Seems to me that such fear would only be used against me while not really giving me any kind of benefit in return.
Abby Martin?
I actually know Abby from way back in the day before she even started her career. Then I saw her on a Joe Rogan Podcast and had to double and triple check that it was the same person that I knew from my past. So random. You know what's even more random?
I follow very few people on Twitter, but EIGHT of the people I do follow are following Abby Martin (which is a huge percentage 10%+). That kind of blew my mind honestly... a bunch of libertarians and crypto friends following someone from my childhood. LoL, so weird. In any case...
https://twitter.com/ChiJohnnyCash/status/1497971312098037761
It is quite disgusting that everyone lines up in outrage that Europeans are being attacked, yet in the same week Yemenis and Somalia get bombed.
Yet again, this is the exact thing I'm trying to discuss. Why do we care about Ukraine and not anything else? It's just another case of blatant tribalism and outrage based on what the media is telling us to be outraged about. This is a problem and something that needs to be discussed and analyzed closely, or it could lead to more problems down the line.
Conclusion
Seeing such charged responses to my last post was very alarming. I probably should have done a lot more research before discussing such hot topics. However, Caitlin Johnstone and Abby Marin are two of the most professional unbiased journalists I've ever been able to find in all my searching when it comes to large-scale global politics. They are saying a lot of the same things I was saying just from a gut feeling, and they do a hell of a lot more work than I do. Pay attention. This isn't over.
I'm not the only one that's interpreting it like this.
Hm, worst apology tour ever.
Don't worry about me though. I don't really plan on pursing this particular political quagmire to my grave. This is not the hill I'm going to die on.
Abby Martin and Caitlin Johnstone are super legit though.
Hopefully someone out there starts following them because of this post.
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Couldn't agree more!
Its very easy to blame Russia without digging into the root of this, and its only enough that the USA have made themselves the Worlds power and police controlling the media and mind of everyone.
I use to enjoy going a few rounds with Caitlin when she was on Steemit, I haven't seen her around here on Hive though. It was sort of a fifty fifty split on her ideologies, at times she was on the money and other times felt she needed to be air dropped into the middle of somewhere to see if she made it out to understand why somethings in life can't be allowed an expansion. Is she on Hive and if so you have a link for her?
It all comes down to resources once again as it always does. Along with a few leaders wanting to stay in power and fear of losing the power. What I absolute despise is how this continues to happen in this day and age it's ridiculous on all levels. Decartelization and crypto return power to the masses and out of the hands of a few it's not going to be an easy road. PS I rather live in a world with USA/EU/Australia/Japan in control than one with China/India/Japan idk I just feel like at least I have a little more choice and a little more freedom that way even though it's for sure far from perfect.
These "journalists" are either spreading Russian propaganda or they simply don't know anything about Russia and act as useful idiots. In any case you should stop following them ASAP
As the @heretickitten, I can only condone heresy against the common thought.
Not to say I agree with you. I simply agree with saying things that ignite passion and fury in the readers. Just as long as you can back your statements with your honor and sense of truth.
I read Caitlin and she is quite right on this.
Caitoz is on point on a lot of issues and this is one of them.
Every social media is flooded with pro Ukraine posts at the moment. I think most sane people are in full support of the people there and the situation they find themselves in. Even so, NATO and the west have an equal amount of blame for the current situation. The removal of Yanukovych in 2014, the US funding of 'colour revolutions', NATO steady expansion through eastern Europe, pivot away Covid coverage, etc. If you see this much propaganda throughout mainstream media, with every outlet repeating the same story, then you should certainly be looking at the situation with an even more critical eye.
It's a trip seeing my twitter account here. It was suspended long ago with several other iterations afterwards also getting suspended.
Ukraine is a sovereign country after, or at least it was and has the right to join NATO, EU or whatever organization they like, but that doesn't mean you don't have a point with the American empire and the fact that the US has probably committed as many if not more war crimes than Putin has. It's all about money, power and control and media is a hell of a tool. Whenever it focuses on something it takes the masses with it. Unfortunately, social media is doing the same.
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Always in controversy man, that’s fun sometimes lol. I like both of them, though I don’t pay much attention to them anymore since I’m off mainstream platforms. I now mostly get my info like this from James Corbett, guy is a killer researcher.
Yes. And they are also highly irrational.
No one wants to really think, they want to just take hottakes and yell at anyone who doesn't share their hottake. Geopolitics are complex. Things don't just happen. Putin didn't just wake up one day and decide to invade a country. To really understand events you have to look at motivations and history. It takes time and is complex and what you typically find is that no one's hands are clean.
But the masses don't want to do that. Takes too long and we have tweets that need sending to signal to our tribes of choice that we are on their team.
Honestly, this is why I stay out of politics. In talking about politics you really are damned if you do and damned if you don't. Everyone yells and hates on you. I disagree with almost everyone and I am incredibly anti-war, but I don't even trust my own opinion without doing a ton of research to figure out exactly what is going on (and I haven't has the time to dive into anything that much since my university days), so even if I was inclined to dip my toes in, I wouldn't.
heh sorry for the rant. I am watching the situation with interest and hoping it ends soon
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At least you had the guts to tell your POV.
I didn't read whatever your previous posts were. But I'm with you on this issue. The hypocrisy is huuuge on this time. I'm no fan of war. But there's never been enough outrage while USSA was doing far worse stuff.
Think about the WMD hoax that lead to war in middle east
West/NATO & whoever responsible (I don't follow geopolitics - apologies if I missed anything here) MUST answer to their CRIMES!
Even Fox is on fighting Russia bandwagon. They were getting better with COVID coverage. But it looks they can't stop being Republican war mongers. There's basically no major MSM that's anti-war....... just crickets on this. Maybe I've missed some coverage.
Media right now is WORSE than what it was with COVID
We need de-escalation & end to government military industrial complex. MSM & idiots following them are pushing for MORE!!!
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I no longer trust journalists.
That's a safe bet to make most of the time.
Just that Russia and Ukraine is getting attention to the world. The way Putin attacked them was bad.
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Not trying to be insensitive i majorly was concerned for the people I care about who lived in this region. As regards politicking, we know who triggered what. We also need to allot some blame to NATO and America. Do I condone what Putin has done? certainly not. But America would do the same, if not worse. It is just sad that innocent people are caught between this clash of egos.
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