Reading in the age of propaganda 

Mukhtar Kareem

For me, the most interesting thing has been reading books. Books are not only a repository of knowledge but also a guide for the future for us and our generations to come. In this sense, books provide a valuable link to the past, present, and the future which I term as a ‘bridge of connectivity’.

My experience of reading books is not that long. It started some four years ago. Initially, my interest centred around the books of world-renowned authors. As my reading scope widened, I increasingly came to realize that  most books are actually propaganda motivated thus pursuing certain causes, interests and prejudices whether these be politically based or a view of the world very personal to the author or authors.

Before moving further, let us ask ‘what is propaganda’? 

As I understand it , propaganda simply refers to concealing or manipulating a part of information in order to promote and project a particular aspect of an issue or a cause more favorably in relation to the alternative options or points of view-simply, presenting only one or a selective side of a given scenario.

For example, if you read books of Noam Chomsky, a well-known American linguist, philosopher and political activist, you will get a particular view of American society.

In India, books of Shashi Tharoor, an articulate writer and eloquent speaker, involve excessive praise for his own political party and incorrigible refutation of others. Same is the case with other writers around the globe with a few exceptions like Yuval Noah Harari who is comparatively honest in his analyses, presentations and predictions.

The subversive hand of ‘propaganda’ becomes more noticeable in the books which deal with the role of ‘world superpower nations and the global conflicts.

Depending on the interest and learning of authors, particular aspects of these scenarios are presented, either overwhelmingly for or against.

A very good example of this is the book written by Maheeda Afzal titled “Pakistan under siege” which seems to be extremely one sided thus camouflaging a more balanced view of Pakistani society. She most eloquently absolves the Pakistani society of any inherent wrongdoings whilst unapologetically shifting the entire blame on the so-called ‘establishment’.

The ‘establishment’ may have to answer for plenty but much of what it does and how it does it is also the reflection of the general temperament of the entire society. Even the powerful ‘establishment’ can’t entirely be indifferent to the public opinions and consensus.

Even a book of political science by Mazharul Haq for academic purposes shows traces of ‘propaganda’. Authors are also products of their respective societies, environments and experiences and, therefore, it is entirely expected that they will promote their own values and their understandings through their writings.

However, the force of propaganda in writings of well-liked people such as Shashi Tharoor, Rajiv Malhotra and our Naheeda Afzal eschew the representation and our understanding of these societies.

Now, we come to the media. For example, Aljazeera is interested in propagating the propaganda of Arab countries by cleverly obscuring the failings of Arab countries.BBC on the other hand is overwhelmingly committed to the British cause, perhaps, more subtly.

In the United States of America, Fox news and CNN stand in diametric opposition to each other in support of their respective political party affiliations. In Pakistan, the TV channels are rather too blatant about their political party affiliations and the support thereof at the expense of objectivity and balance. This is also extended to other mediums of information in this current era.

In this cauldron of misinformation and misrepresentation the average person is inevitably confused about what to read, who to watch and what to listen to. On the other hand, these mediums of information are so adept at engaging their audiences to influence thought and opinions.

Therefore, one must ask what needs to be done to facilitate the average reader, listener and watcher in pursuit of objective knowledge and understanding of their environment.

Based on my relatively short experience in the field, I suggest that mediums such as books, magazines, newspapers and other mediums should only be used as information data centres.

However, the critical analysis, verification and validation of the information have to be the responsibility of ours. Towards this, connecting the dots from different sources is essential.

Considering these mediums as an absolute source of knowledge without a critical approach can be erroneously misleading.

Only treating  them as sources of data, information and by taking self-responsibility for analysis, verification and validation  you stand a chance of  safeguarding yourself and others  from misinformation, disinformation and propaganda or you will ‘be a wanderer in the coterie of readers.’

The writer is a freelance journalist based in Balochistan and covering socio-economic issues with a special focus on political economy. He has done MBA from Iqra University Karachi and is preparing for competition exam.