Just when I
had repented, on hands and knees, for wasting hours listening to political ads,
speeches, and talk show wisdom, and promised God I’d follow only holiday sales
commercials in the weeks to come, I got sucked in again. I was victimized by
the editor of Breitbart, the “news” outlet of Donald Trump’s office gopher,
Steve Bannon.
It was
really a harmless article in response to Kellogg’s boycott of Breitbart. "Kellogg's decision to blacklist
one of the largest conservative media outlets in America is economic censorship
of mainstream conservative political discourse. That is as un-American as it
gets.” The site said it has a community of 45 million loyal readers “who are
also a powerful consumer group that reflects the values of mainstreet (sic) America.”
(David Ng, L A Times)
I’ve
recently struggled to define my own values. Now I see the suggestion that
American values can be reflected by a media outlet. So I wondered what those
values were, and whether I embraced them.
Hunter Lewis
suggests that value systems are often based on emotion. “In particular, they
all share three features, corresponding to three basic emotional needs. First,
they all focus on a particular group of people, a “chosen” people to use the
biblical metaphor. Membership in this group automatically provides emotional
security. Second, they all propound a particular way of life or a particular
way of organizing society, belief in which provides an emotional identity. For
example most of us identify ourselves not just as Americans (members of a
group) but also as defenders of an American “way” of democracy and free
enterprise. Third, they all require an emotional stimulus, usually expressed as
an enemy, a devil, … often another group of people.” (Lewis, H. A Question
of Values, p. 87)
To say than
one consumer group shares the same emotional values, let alone reflects those
of main street America, is a stretch. It is more likely that the person or
organization propounding the values is the one being defined. As Bertrand
Russell pointed out, a proposal of values is the art of telling others what
they have to do to get along with us.
So what
values do the folks at Breitbart embrace? Social Darwinism comes closest: the
religion of selfishness, winning, and power. “Life is about survival; survival
is accomplished through power and dominance; the purpose of life is therefore
to gain control of others through whatever means are available, however brutal
or coercive, because might is always right” (Lewis, H. p. 208). Or as Ng noted
on a visit to Breitbart headquarters, “The door to the main conference
room is emblazoned with the hashtag #War — a mantra Breitbart
instilled in his team.”
My values
are different. George Nye, a colleague and mentor, probably expressed them best
in a recent Facebook post:
“While
reflecting on how to hold a steady course & make my way thru a "brave
new world" of fake news, hatred, violence & betrayal, a reminder came
to me: To know what is right is important; but to have the interior power to do
what is right is even more important. That power comes from my acceptance of
the truth that the 1st Commandment really is 1st. That command is my ultimate
authority; all others are lesser authorities which must fall in line under that
one. Then, come what consequences may come from my current surroundings, I
shall do that which is loving, honest, just & compassionate to the best of
my ability, regardless of what others choose to do, in order that I may stay
the safe course thru the dark waters. For you & I are citizens who, for
good or ill, help shape who we will be as a community, as a people, as a
nation.“ (George Nye, Facebook 12/04/16)
I deeply suspect
that Breitbart values differ from American values. I’m certain Christian values
differ from main street America’s ethics as well. We’ve walked into the
prophecy of Jefferson Airplane:
When logic
and proportion have fallen sloppy dead
And the
white knight is talking backwards
And the red
queen's off with her head (Jefferson Airplane, “White Rabbit”)
No war for
me, thanks. I’ll stick with George.
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