Corporate Cheerleading

 

 GO GREED!




While it is understandable that a show 

named "Marketplace" would favor the values

and perspectives of "free market" capitalism, in a crisis that is directly and demonstrably caused by "free market" principles and mythology, shouldn't journalistic integrity rise to the top and overcome your "free market" bias? As journalists in a time of historic catastrophe, does Marketplace feel any responsibility to be more reflective and to reassess its obvious bias? I place "free market" in quotes because it is only one of dozens of misleading (if not dishonest) terms and slogans parroted by those who make a comfortable living supporting a failed, corrupt and crumbling economic philosophy. Madoff et. al. are not, as sloganeers might insist, "a few bad apples" but the natural, logical and sadly ubiquitous result of an irresponsible, greed-based economics.

The fact that, in the midst of our crisis, free marketeers must resort to parroting slogans and using the boogeyman of "socialism" rather than rational arguments and historical evidence are certain signs of philosophical bankruptcy. The simplistic equation of socially responsible economics with failed communist experiments is misleading and manipulative, but does not constitute reliable evidence.

"Free Market" capitalism is based on a variety of false assumptions, the chief of which is the rationality of the marketplace. Both our current crisis and advertising are clear evidence of the error of this belief, yet the dogma persists because media outlets like "Marketplace" continue to promote it in spite of its serious flaws. Honestly, listening to "Marketplace" is somewhat akin to listening to reporting by religious devotees who cannot conceive of a world outside of their own dogma and who stubbornly cling to their doctrines regardless of the realities of everyday experience.

"Free Market" capitalism could not survive if it were not subsidized by public monies, aggressively promoted by corporate media monopoly, and if there were a genuine free exchange of ideas. Let's "do the numbers" - how many times has "Marketplace" (or any news outlet) given significant equal time to alternative economic models and ideas? Or, how much public funding do corporations receive each year? Can these supposedly sacred "free market" ideas stand the test of genuine challenge and public debate?

Apparently not. We don't know because, beyond a token nod, this opportunity has never been given by corporate-owned media. Just take a look at the Superbowl advertisements that have been rejected in the past few years simply because they question or criticize corporatism & consumerism. The rigged "free market" house of cards is collapsing and I'm hoping NPR has the wisdom and integrity to admit the obvious and pursue more critical reporting and more rational solutions.