I don't understand how anyone can think that the US education system, media industry, and iron-fisted grip on the press form the most ruthless and effective propaganda apparatus that has ever been seen in history, and then turn around and say "but actually anyone under its influence could just stop being influenced by it if they wanted to". Only one of those things can be true.
Even if it were true that it's just some trivial act of will to reject propaganda, clearly lots of people have not done that and just dismissing that fact as "they didn't do the triumphant act of will, unlike me, the smart person" is counterproductive and even ruinous toward any viable leftist movement.
I don't understand how anyone can think that the US education system, media industry, and iron-fisted grip on the press form the most ruthless and effective propaganda apparatus that has ever been seen in history, and then turn around and say "but actually anyone under its influence could just stop being influenced by it if they wanted to". Only one of those things can be true.
Even if it were true that it's just some trivial act of will to reject propaganda, clearly lots of people have not done that and just dismissing that fact as "they didn't do the triumphant act of will, unlike me, the smart person" is counterproductive and even ruinous toward any viable leftist movement.