Noam Chomsky’s documentary Manufacturing Consent follows Chomsky through his ideas about and opposition to the methods powerful higher interests exhibit on the info disbursed to citizens of the United States. He believes that the media should offer an unbiased and factual view of the news and events in the world. However, this is often not the case, and the media often serves those who control it, whether it be interests groups, corporate executives, the government, etc. As a result, the American public often receives an altered or disguised view of the facts.
One interesting technique used in the documentary was the use of the television. Throughout the length of the film, the viewers are presented with old television advertisements, public service announcements, views of television screens, and clips of Chomsky on television. This is an important detail because television is one of the primary vehicles of the propaganda and distorted media that Chomsky so fervently denounces. In essence, he is using his enemies’ own weapon against them, and seeks to overshadow them and prove them wrong.
I also found it quite interesting that in sequences that discussed how opposed the United States is to Chomsky’s ideas, the documentary made heavy use of clips of him in televised interviews in which he was either fervently argued with or his values were attacked. The documentary is trying to make the point that American society is not tolerant of his ideas. Using the television to spread his message proves to lead to inevitable resistance from his opposition, because they do not want to be denounced with their own tool.
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