In a recent essay ( « The triumph of spin over substance [1]»), Jeff Kehoe addresses the seemingly paradoxical fact that two American media (CNN and FOX News), obviously existing in the same space-time continuum, can have such a widely different perception of the world. He compares it to a scene in the film The Matrix where the hero’s “perceived reality depends on whether he takes a blue pill or a red pill.”
Spin effect is not confined to few American media, and spin doctors become pervasive and infiltrate social media, corporate Power Point, marketing campaign, sales arguments, … Some might argue that the end justifies the mean, i.e. spin without substance. Well, if we care about progress (not technological but social progress), such intellectual dishonesty should be combatted. As Jeff puts it: “especially for leaders, whether in the public or the private sector—winning isn’t and can’t be everything. How one plays the game should matter too.”
He rightly concludes that with “freedom of belief and individual rights come civic responsibilities. It’s up to each of us to step back, check the source, and think critically about our belief systems”. In other words, it is our responsibility as citizen to weigh the substance. But critical thinking is not a natural gift. It requires proper education (and not a purely utilitarian education).
Can we identify signs or warnings that can help us identify spin and raise our level of attention? In a recent conference Roger de Weck, well-known Swiss media professional, suggested the following awareness-raising signals: pathos vs. sobriety of tone, manichesim vs. subtlety, or even extreme personalization of the discourse. As Umberto Eco (loosely translated) says: “linguistic habits are often essential symptoms of unspoken feelings”
It’s up to each of us to stay sober and be very suspicious of histrionics and pathos.
[1] The triumph of spin over substance, Jeff Kehoe, Harvard Business Review, JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2018