A watershed moment in politics, the economy, journalism

by | Jan 7, 2025 | Editorial and Analysis

BREAKING News

At the end of the first quarter of the 21st century, it is clear that humanity will struggle to deal with the existential threats that it faces. The past year “handed” 2025 all the dead ends that became evident in democracy, the economy and journalism. Democracy, as if wishing to prove the paradox at its heart (that voters can choose the catastrophic option), elected an autocrat and wholly unsuitable person to the highest office of the world’s only democratic superpower. Capitalism produced the phenomenon personified by Elon Musk, whereby a handful of people acquire inconceivable wealth and with this they determine not only political developments but also the very way in which many think (via the social networks and news media that they own). The hunt for individual wealth – which is, ostensibly open to all, as an “invisible hand” is supposed to keep balance – has inequality at its core, because it is this which challenges people to improve their position. In our time, though, the game is fixed, at the expense of the poor, as they never get the chance to even things out. On the contrary, the wealthiest do not hide the fact that they aim to control power while not being subject to any control themselves. And journalism is suspected of serving the interests of one or other group of the divided population, not the whole.

The “tangled interests” in which we Greeks have a long tradition at the level of politics-wealth-journalism have taken on a global dimension. In autocratic regimes, political power controls and exploits wealth and the public debate with the purpose of strengthening its own position. In democracy, we have reached the climax of the system’s weaknesses: the richest man in the world buying a powerful news medium and the presidency of the United States. Furthermore, the same person, Musk, is intervening in the politics of other democracies – such as Germany and Britain – in support of extremist, divisive forces, while groveling at the feet of autocrats to further his interests. We ought to keep in mind, though, that neither Trump nor Musk would have gained such power – and might not have troubled public opinion at all – if there were not a long-term erosion of the power of institutions (especially of the judiciary) as part of a plan funded by billionaires, if the weakening of control mechanisms were not a policy priority of conservatives, if the credibility of “legacy” news media had not been undermined already. The capture of political and judicial power, the impunity of powerful economic agents, and the division which thrives on all this, eradicate the very concept of impartial information, of news in the service of truth and the common good. Even if news media are flawless, citizens judge them on the basis of what they already believe, agreeing with them or rejecting them.

The political landscape in the United States today shows what happens when democracy’s checks don’t function, when the institutions protect neither themselves nor the whole population. The social contract between power and the people cannot endure this for long. And the more reactions that this provokes, the more technological and police suppression there will be, until democracy and oligarchy differ only in name. This is a watershed moment.

 

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Dynamis Media Group llc, NeaProini.gr or NeaProini.us. Any content provided by our authors and/or contributors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual or anyone or anything.

Breaking News