Democracy Dies In Darkness - the Washington Post's mission statement for as long as I've been alive, is being replaced by a meaningless slogan that implies no goals or positions. "Storytelling" has no duty of fact, form, or integrity. "Riveting Storytelling for All of America" is intentionally vague, obviously meant to align the paper as an entertainment product instead of a journalistic outlet.
It essentially goes against the entire reason why the Washington Post name had any validity in the first place, further positioning Bezos' media arm as a puff-piece factory that will never challenge power in any way. Obviously a Bezos' owned WaPo was never going to challenge the status quo, but to be this brazen insults the intelligence of WaPo's readership and society at large.
This insistence that the Washington Post needs to focus on story over substance reminds me of the widely panned conclusion to a story that left no one happy: HBO's Game of Thrones. What was once seen as a powerhouse IP that propelled the fantasy genre back into mainstream relevance is now seen as a joke due to the story's conclusion being underwritten, half-baked, and any other synonym for immense narrative disappointment.
For those somehow lacking context, the show's central conflict revolved around succession to the Iron Throne, an analogue for real-life seats of imperial power that have undone the ruthlessly ambitious and well-meaning alike the world over for all of recorded history. The witty palace intrigue, philosophical pondering on power, and a no-holds-barred dark fantasy setting were compelling to viewers across the globe, catapulting the show to the center of the cultural zeitgeist by its conclusion in 2019.
After nearly 70 hours of television, millions of people tuned in to the show's final episode, aptly titled: "The Iron Throne."
Unfortunately, the burning questions that ignited online debate and speculation were wrapped up in a masturbatory monologue which essentially serves to congratulate the showrunners for tricking you into making it this far:
I’ve had nothing to do but think these past few weeks. About our bloody history. About the mistakes we’ve made. What unites people? Armies? Gold? Flags? (shaking his head) Stories. There is nothing in the world more powerful than a good story. Nothing can stop it, no enemy can defeat it.
I'm going to spare you the details of who was placed on the throne and why, it really does not matter. The showrunners made their point loud and clear: they are the most important people here and they deserve recognition for delivering such a compelling and interesting product consumed by so many. We sure did tell a good story, right everyone?
If the cynicism of this all makes you sick to your stomach, you're not alone. The finale's outcome became an internet meme, sparking endless debate and fanboy-ranting about why the conclusion drawn here was bunk, stupid, and worthless. To me, WaPo's new mission statement holds the same sentiment as the above. Namely, facts and pretense don't matter so long as it entertains the most people possible and holds their attention. Facts, reasoning, and integrity are unimportant — it's all just a stupid little story in the end.
Stories, from 10,000 feet, are collections of words put in order by some architect trying to sell you their beliefs and
ideas. Stories have no obligation to factuality. Stories are a dime a dozen. Stories, to the cynic, are merely a propaganda tool. They think you're stupid and will buy anything if you slap a recognizable name on it and spin an agreeable tale.
Is this what anyone wants? I hope not.
The beliefs and ideas being transmitted should be one's primary focus when being told a story. What sort of beliefs and ideas will a Jeff Bezos run Washington Post posit when the editorial board is pressured to obfuscate the death of society at the hands of the elite? What sort of "stories" will come out of that dynamic? I'll leave you with that question.
The Washington Post, under the purview of Jeff Bezos, is no longer a journalistic organization. No longer is this the paper that broke Watergate; no longer are they interested in speaking truth to powerful subversions of our democratic process at the hands of billionaires. The Post is now simply a propaganda arm meant to prop-up an economic elite that is stealing from you and hoarding unfathomable amounts of wealth. Regardless of whether or not their story-before-facts mission statement holds, their editorial interests are no longer to be trusted. All billionaire owned media is complicit in the coming horrors, and they only seek to maintain an economic underclass they can firmly press their boots into.
All the best,
Bree@ns4b.org