//Freedom of the Press

In all imaginary fascist or totalitarian governments (1984 by Orwell, V for Vendetta by Moore), freedom of expression is the first one to go, substituted by constant secrecy, deceit, and surveillance posing as protection. If it's so constantly included, there must be a certain reasoning to that, something like this: people forbidden to speak up eventually become too afraid to speak up. Injustice becomes the rule, injustice becomes normal. Silence becomes normal. When the people is afraid of their government, governments can do anything they please. Even turn against its own people.

To avoid this, the media has a responsibility to keep the government in its place, saying: you are not here to have fun, you are here to do your job, and you better do it well. We pay you not to torture us, or deceit us, you are here to make our lives better. You rule because we allow you to rule.

Media, in a way, is the true representative of the people. So, when the media back stabs the people of its own volition, it's worse than a backstabbing from the government. Perhaps because the media knows this, it fights for its freedom, and in doing so, also fights for the freedom of the people. But let's not be overly optimistic. The media is not always in league with the people. After all, freedom and idealism don't pay as well as power alone does. It is when the media is in league with the government that everybody should tremble, for what remains between the government and cruelty if not the truth?

The way freedom of the press works is very much like stoicism. Stoicism doesn't take sides, it isn't happy or sad, it isn't evil or good. Freedom of the press should work the same way: it doesn't take sides, because it is not its job to have a side, but to allow others to have one. It isn't happy or sad, because by being so it would be taking sides. It isn't evil, it isn't good, because good and evil are relative. Freedom of the press should be like the Fantastican Childlike Empress: it should see all sides as equal, all sides as worthy.

But this doesn't mean media can't pass on its own judgment. That's what editorials and opinion pieces are about, after all. Editorials are like going to the doctor to have your analysis checked. Sometimes you need an interpretation from a professional, if only to be sure your judgment is not far from the truth. And the truth is what matters most.

Let's face it, freedom of the press is governments' worse enemy. The government doesn't want you to know, doesn't want you to have your own judgment, and above all, the government doesn't want you to know the truth, because more often than naught, the government has done a terrible deed that deserves punishment. And that's okay, everyone has their secrets. But when governments start to deceive, and to lie, and kill and disappear people and listen to your private life, and watch you in your house and act Big Brothery, it is because the press has either been bought, or deceived as well. In either way, there's nothing to stand between the government and cruelty, and this is exactly why the press shouldn't be subordinated to government or money, but be a power all of its own.

//categorías = //política