Pretend you have one hour to convince a random normie that the mainstream media is propaganda rather than a collection of well-meaning, objective journalists who sometimes get it wrong but overall try to deliver fair and accurate reporting.
If you fail, you die.
What's your approach?
It's a stupid hypothetical for several reasons but I'm very interested in this topic and I'm curious to hear your thoughts, so I'll ask for a pass on the overly dramatic scenario.
I'm guessing the most common response will be, "It won't work no matter what you do", and fwiw I think that's correct. But for the small group who can be reasoned with, what do you think is the optimal approach?
Interesting hypothetical, and I'll think about it and come back with a better answer if something occurs to me.
First, what you absolutely do not want to do; bring up anything political, or more specifically partisan, as the prime focus. It's hard not to at least touch on them, but don't make it the main focus. Avoid things like left v right, Covid, race/gender (unless you know they're open to it, in which case this can be a great in, actually.) It triggers combativeness, and you won't convince them. Also (sadly) probably avoid statistics, unless you know the person you're talking to is good at understanding them, or enjoys them. This should be a great way to convince people, but ends up flying over the heads of many - maybe most - average people...which is a massive condemnation on your average person.
I think one good line to run is about repetition of propaganda. This can be something like your "this is a threat to our democracy," or the Ron Paul smears...this one is actually great, since one of the most well known compilations is from Jon Stewart, so probably more palatable for normies. Also ask the person you're trying to convince when they started to become concerned about "mis/mal/disinformation," as that's a pretty new concept.
Also, I said to avoid charged issues like politics or race as the main focus, but playing "spot the white person" in ads can be a real eye opener, for people who haven't been paying attention. Heck, not specifically racial, but a component; do what Socratic mentioned about bringing up the past; just play old entertainment for them. What do you know...not everything was miscegenation, and most people were white.
But I think something like the Ron Paul thing, that just highlights how blatantly dishonest and repetitive they are is a great entrance. It's impossible to argue that was unintentional. They'll still find someway to try to downplay it (probably try to blame the right exclusively and acting like that would make the argument invalid), but you might have at least gotten in the door enough to meet the requirements of convincing them there's at least some organized mainstream media propaganda.
Or you could play them a Rachel Maddow compilation. Even if you die, you make them suffer with you.
Wise. A lot of people have some sort of emotional commitment to left or right. They will sooner switch their positions 180 degrees than keep their positions and move from left to right, or vice versa. In my lifetime, I've seen the mainstream left go from pro-Wall Street, anti-war, pro-free speech to the exact opposite, and pretty much the inverse move from the right.
I also encounter a lot of people who, if you look at their political commitments, seem far-left, and hate the Orange Man, but if you look at their actual positions, don't like war, immigration or LGBTP. If you force them to choose between their positions and their politics they'll choose their politics. But if you gentle nudge them and make them confront their contradictions on their own... while I can't say that I have tried, I think that would at least be less certain to fail.
May be an American thing, where this is far more polarized than in Europe. Covid is not exactly a subject here, but I do intend to bring up all the false information pushed with absolute certainty by politicians, media and so called scientists... not as proof of anything except that they can be wrong and often are.
May also be. I know people who are far to the left of your Democrats, who don't like the race/gender/LGBTP BS, and proactively ridicule it without me even bringing it up.
A lot of normies will not notice, because they really are colorblind.
I have to support grooming?
Your arguments are so weak that you have to resort to things you made up.