Choices. We all make them, whether it is choosing chocolate or vanilla. Choices are often an illusion, crafted by the mind to preserve one’s individuality and ego. 

Media control and hegemony are extremely influential forces that shape public opinion. The concept of hegemony was established by Antonio Gramsci, which in simple terms is the dominance of one group of people over others in shaping ideological norms. To understand this further, we must turn to Noam Chomsky, the man who revolutionized the field of linguistics by introducing the Chomsky hierarchy, generative grammar, and universal grammar, which all suggest how human speech is deeply rooted in cognitive structures. The work he contributed through his study on media is shown in Manufacturing Consent, which expands on the idea of hegemony by explaining how mass media is a “buffet” for elite agendas by filtering and reframing news to align with the economic and political powers. There are multiple types of hegemony, but in this article it is used in the context of economic hegemony and how the U.S. elite will indefinitely continue to exploit their dominance.

In the U.S., where dreams come true, we have the Big Six. The Big Six are not superheroes, but media companies. 90% of media is being controlled by six main media – General Electric, Time Warner, Sony, Disney, News Corporation, and Viacom– everything from news to entertainment. The monopoly created in the entertainment industry allows these corporations to reinforce beliefs and adopt new ideologies. The platform also does a great job at omitting important economic disparities which subconsciously reinforces the belief that “everything is going well.” The ideologies give us to adopt are to align ourselves more and more with the great elites of United States. 

The U.S. response to the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001, is a notorious example of manufacturing consent for military action against Iraq. Following the great tragedy, the Bush administration utilized the fear the citizens felt and repurposed it into national unity to build unwavering public support for the use of the military to retaliate against the attacks. The fact that Iraq had no association with Al-Qaeda, which was based in Afghanistan, financed by a Saudi Arabian man and sheltered by Pakistanis, was unknown to American citizens. Media outlets were influenced by political and economic pressure to push the narrative that Saddam Hussein was connected to the attacks, even though it was not true at all. Due to this, the U.S. attacked Iraq, took their resources and operated with full impunity. The recycled public fear turned into hate for a country which was never at fault, a great example of how political powers will use anything to get what they want. The manipulation caused by 9/11 puts into perspective how mass media can construct various narratives that serve political and elitist agendas by effectively manufacturing consent. 

As we continue to navigate through this media heavy world, it is crucial to take note on how these stories are framed. Choice is a part of human nature and so is the never ending thirst for absolute power. In this world, choice is a facade given to us by the ones in absolute positions of power. So, question everything. Fight everything. Even if it may not be your choice.