Manufacturing Consent In Practice

In this podcast, Stephen Michael Davis analyzes the online left's use of the term "manufacturing consent," popularized by Herman and Chomsky's book, as a way to dismiss media coverage they dislike. Davis argues that the online left selectively applies this concept, readily criticizing media outlets when they disagree but accepting favorable reporting uncritically. He uses examples such as the coverage of Afghanistan's mineral wealth and the Washington Post's article on raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour to illustrate this selective skepticism. Davis contends that this behavior is driven by confirmation bias, where individuals interpret information to reinforce their existing beliefs, and concludes that good journalism should be evaluated critically regardless of its source.