The Mainstream News Has a Way of Telling You Things Without Actually Telling You Things

In today’s world, the news is everywhere. It’s on TV, the internet, and even our phones. But have you ever noticed that sometimes the news doesn’t give you the full picture? It might tell you bits and pieces, but it leaves out important details. This isn’t just by accident. From a class perspective, this way of reporting can actually benefit the capitalist class—the group of people who own and control most of the wealth and resources in society.

What Is the Capitalist Class?

Before we dive into how the news works, let’s quickly talk about what we mean by the “capitalist class.” In simple terms, this is the group of people who own businesses, factories, banks, and other important parts of the economy. They have a lot of money and power, and they make most of their profits from the work done by the rest of us—the working class.

The working class includes everyone who doesn’t own big businesses or lots of property. Instead, they sell their labor (their time and effort) in exchange for a paycheck. Most people fall into this category, from factory workers to office employees.

How the News Serves the Capitalist Class

News outlets are businesses too. They need to make money, and they often rely on advertisements from large corporations to stay afloat. These corporations are part of the capitalist class. Because of this, the news may have a built-in incentive to present information in a way that doesn’t upset or challenge the interests of the capitalist class.

1. Selective Reporting:

  • What’s Happening: The news might choose to cover certain stories while ignoring others. For example, they might focus on a crime in a poor neighborhood while ignoring the struggles of workers in that area.
  • Benefit to the Capitalist Class: By focusing on crime, the news can distract from bigger issues like unfair wages or dangerous working conditions. This keeps people from questioning the system that benefits the rich.

2. Framing the Narrative:

  • What’s Happening: The news can frame stories in a way that makes the capitalist class look good or at least not responsible for any problems. For instance, they might call job cuts “necessary for economic growth” instead of pointing out the harm they cause to workers.
  • Benefit to the Capitalist Class: This kind of framing can make it seem like decisions made by the capitalist class are for the greater good, even when they hurt the working class. This stops people from organizing against these harmful decisions.

3. Omitting the Bigger Picture:

  • What’s Happening: Often, the news will report on events without giving the full context. They might talk about a strike but not explain why workers felt they had no choice but to strike.
  • Benefit to the Capitalist Class: Without understanding the full story, people might blame workers for the disruption a strike causes instead of understanding their legitimate grievances. This weakens solidarity among workers and keeps the capitalist class in control.

4. Promoting Consumerism:

  • What’s Happening: News outlets often feature stories or ads that encourage people to buy more products, like the latest gadgets or fashion trends.
  • Benefit to the Capitalist Class: Promoting consumerism keeps people focused on shopping and spending money, rather than on organizing for better wages or working conditions. It also helps big businesses make even more profit.

5. Downplaying Class Issues:

  • What’s Happening: The news rarely talks about issues of class directly. They might discuss “the economy” or “the market” but avoid talking about how these things affect different classes differently.
  • Benefit to the Capitalist Class: By not talking about class, the news helps maintain the illusion that everyone has an equal chance in life. This keeps people from realizing that the system is actually rigged in favor of the rich.

Why This Matters

When the news doesn’t tell the full story, it keeps the working class from fully understanding how the system works against them. This makes it harder for workers to organize and fight for their rights. Meanwhile, the capitalist class continues to benefit from the status quo—where they make profits and accumulate wealth while the working class struggles to make ends meet.

Understanding how the news works and why it might not always give you the full story is an important step in seeing the bigger picture. It helps reveal the hidden dynamics of class conflict and the ways in which the capitalist class tries to maintain its power. By being aware of this, the working class can start to push back, demand more from the system, and work towards a fairer society where everyone’s needs are met—not just those of the wealthy few.

That’s why at Progressive Pulse, we’re here to help you cut through the nonsense and get to the real story. We dig deeper, connect the dots, and give you the scoop the mainstream news might “accidentally” forget to mention. Think of us as your B. S. detector—helping you see what’s really going on behind the headlines. We break it down so you can stay informed, get involved, and maybe even laugh a little along the way. Because let’s face it, understanding the world shouldn’t feel like pulling teeth—it should feel like pulling back the curtain.