Media Competence

We do not want war

The opposing camp bears the responsibility

The leader of the enemy is a devil

We are fighting for a good cause

The enemy fights with unauthorized weapons

The enemy commits atrocities on purpose, we only do so accidentally

Our losses are small, those of the enemy are enormous

Artists and intellectuals support our cause

Our mission is sacred

Anyone who doubts our reporting is a traitor.

Anne Morelli

Anne Morelli wrote the book Principes élémentaires de propagande de guerre in the style of Arthur Ponsonby’s classic work on propaganda research.

It is interesting to observe how some journalists are unable to publish their research and work on any topic without judgment, but rather follow the narratives. It is then frightening to observe how people with diametrically opposed views are often very quickly insulted, downgraded and shunned as a result.

None of this is actually new. What is new is the vehement claim and the sovereignty of interpretation and positioning of truth and lies (new German fake and hate speech) in the interests of those in power. The opposition and some citizens are quickly vilified. Since the Greeks and their invention of democracy 2500 years ago, it has been the task of the opposition to keep the rulers in check, as experience has shown that they are all too quick to pursue their own interests and bypass the actual sovereign in the clique.

The words “populus”, ‘people’ and “sovereignty” are closely linked in the context of politics and philosophy. They refer to the source and nature of state power.

“Populus” (Latin):

Denotes the people as a totality of people who live in a certain area and are politically organized

At school, know-it-alls were quickly frowned upon. Nowadays, adult know-it-alls have numerous tools to defame others, be it calling them Nazis or accusing them of hate speech.