Don't believe the lies, critically analyze!

Sound bites, political speak, media spin, tabloid sensationalism, propaganda and misinformation are the media's language. How do you see through the lies and discover the truth? Be discerning; critically analyse what you are being told. The media does not have a responsibility to report the news honestly; profit is the purpose of the media corporation. They answer to their shareholders. News and advertising is their product. The viewing public are their consumer. No Conspiracy theories here.

Friday, 3 February 2012

The Australian Disease: On The Decline of Love and the Rise of Non-Freedom. Richard Flanagan

http://blip.tv/slowtv/the-decline-of-love-richard-flanagan-5775955

Richard Flanagan is one of Australia's most loved novelists - and most powerful orators. In the annual Alan Missen oration and the Melbourne Writers Festival's closing night address, he considers Rilke's challenge: "For one human being to love another: that is perhaps the most difficult of all our tasks, the ultimate, the last test and proof, the work for which all other work is but preparation." He questions how prepared we are for that task on the brink of a new century, looking at love and freedom through the works of writers and recent history.

The written version of this speech appears in Quarterly Essay #44, published by Black inc.

Richard Flanagan's books include Death of A River Guide, The Sound of One Hand Clapping, Gould's Book of Fish, The Unknown Terrorist, and Wanting.

Presented by Melbourne Writers Festival 2011