March 16

CH 10; Toxic Sludge: March 16

Alright I’ll admit it, I miss unSpun. I definitely liked it more than Toxic Sludge is Good for You. Nonetheless, here we go-
There is a section in Chapter 10 titled "Flacking for the Fascists," which has a quote that caught my attention. "Governments that murder and jail their critics don’t particularly need to worry about maintaining an attractive image among their own people," (148). First, I am disturbed to think that some counties do this. It is unfortunate that not every county is blessed with the freedom of speech. Considering that a critic’s job is to criticize, one shouldn’t get punished for doing their duty. If the Government is so concerned about the image they portray to their people then they should focus on the good of their people. Then critics would have only positive critiques too report.
Second, with a risk of incarceration and even death, who would ever want to be a critic in those particular countries? Also, who one earth wants to live in country where the Government doesn’t feel the need to worry about maintaining a positive image for their people? This leads me to believe these country(ies) are not concerned about their citizens. I certainly would not want to live anywhere with such low morale.