ICPPUL > Media
ICPPUL is an acronym that describes a type of malignant authority. ICPPUL stands for:
- ignorant, conflicted, privileged, power over, unaccountable, and lazy
(This is NOT representative of all media, or other forms of authority)
- ignorant: media figures are not experts and do not necessarily know how to identify experts that are representative of the field. Many times, the content or accuracy of their stories is less important than the narrative or entertainment value.
- conflicted: Media figures that work for mainstream corporate live within an Overton window that excludes certain types of voices and the experts they feature often have a conflict of interest. In wars, they rely on “embedding” or virtual partnerships with government sources. They practice “access journalism” that biases their coverage in favor of retaining access to the powerful.
- privileged: Many mainstream media have the attitude that their wealth and prominence gives them special legitimacy. Their high-class production values is seen as conferring legitimacy, but this often comes with a corporate bias.
- power over: They make gestures of “power with“ (tell us what you think ..) , but they see themselves as a class separate and above the public and they often speak “to” the public, rather than “with” the public for any period of time. They often use their power to “troll for engagement.”
- unaccountable: When these media outlets get something wrong (Iraq war, Russian collusion, election fraud) there are few consequences to them or their shareholders (unless they are successfully sued). A media outlet may spent months misleading their audience, but the retraction is so weak than many in their audience remain misinformed.
- lazy: many don’t put in the work necessary to go into depth. Because of corporate financial profitability goals, they do not have the incentive to a a thorough investigation.
- In some cases, they do not call to confirm the most basic facts of a case. Gay Wedding Web Site | Russiagate: Konstatin Kilimnik
- Most media personalities don’t even do the work to acquire Tim Ferris’s definition of expertise:
- Read 3 of the best-selling books
- Rent a lecture hall at a university and do a presentation for advertising purposes) [footnote]So that you can boast “I lectured at The University of X” (Misleadingly implying that the lecture was through an official university-sanctioned university class) [/footnote]
- Write a column