by Carlo Freccero
Foa is part of a small group of opinion leaders, blogger, journalists and thinkers, who present the other side of the coin on the internet, the facts beyond the propaganda
I wrote some time ago on these pages that the order of speech it's changing. Foa's proposal to president of Rai is a confirmation of my statement. I'll say more. If the nomination is followed by the proposal, there is a good chance that this process would be accelerated, because information is fundamental for the formation of public opinion. The proof? The hysterical reaction with which his candidacy was received by the entire mainstream press. The Movement 5 Stelle suggested Salini and no one had anything to object to. The League proposed Foa and the uproar broke out. It is paradoxical that Foa is being fought as a fake news dealer. In this area Foa is a precursor, but in reverse.
It's from 2006, a year that in terms of the fight against fake news is prehistoric, that Foa analyzes the problem of truth in politics. His book The sorcerers of the news, of which among other things the update has been released, critically analyzes the phenomenon of spin doctors and its implications in terms of democracy. The figure of the spin doctor is not a figment of the imagination of conspiracy theorists, but an official figure, well paid, which has long been involved in organizing the electoral campaigns of Democratic and Republican candidates in America and which, more recently, it was also introduced in Italy. I remember the spin doctor who followed the Monti government and the complete Americanization of the Renzian electoral campaign. The spin doctor is not bound by the truth.
Al contrario il suo compito è manipolare la realtà a favore del candidato da cui è sponsorizzato. Come dice il proverbio “in guerra e in amore tutto è lecito”. In guerra appunto gli spin doctor operano in un continuo stato di eccezione perché considerano le elezioni non un elemento della democrazia, ma una vera e propria guerra all’ultimo sangue il cui obiettivo non è il bene comune, ma la vittoria del candidato sponsor. Not only that. Da tempo la figura dello spin doctor non è più relegata alla sola campagna elettorale, ma segue lo sponsor anche dopo la sua eventuale elezione, trasformando il suo governo in una campagna elettorale permanente. Tutto ciò ha per Foa esiti negativi per la democrazia e per l’attendibilità della stampa.
The journalist's task is to verify the news. But who verifies the news? The public authority. At the local news level, the police forces. At the national level, the government. But what are the consequences?, for the press first and then for democracy, if the government's statements are not the result of truth, but of a permanent propaganda campaign?
Foa is part of a small group of opinion leaders, blogger, journalists and thinkers, who present the other side of the coin on the internet, the facts beyond the propaganda.
The entire space of politics is represented in this avant-garde, from the far left to the far right and the glue is not ideology, ma the search for truth. And the paradox is that, starting from this truth, left and right often agree. This is why I don't think Foa will carry out political propaganda. But it will certainly be "anti-system". Petitions and signature collections are underway to boycott his election.
What would he have done that was so serious as to make him a dangerous fake news dealer?? Two very serious examples are repeated like a mantra. He would be against vaccines for saying that in Switzerland, country of which he has dual citizenship, compulsory vaccines are not foreseen. Not only that. Listen! Listen! He would have shared the photo of Josefa with nail polish, That, for the current mainstream it is the height of fake news, although there is no doubt that in that photo Josefa really had nail polish. How can all this cause scandal to the point of dignifying the collection of signatures? Foa explains it again in his book. Nel mainstream, which is an expression of unique thought, there is a frame, a cornice, and limit, to what can be said or not said. Even what doesn't fit into the frame, it is not taken into consideration by our brain.
To give an example, following cuts in public spending in Greece, there was a fire with more than 80 dead. But the media talked about Josefa's nails.
In summary, Foa is a candidate to become a Rai president outside the frame. That, from my point of view, It's the greatest compliment that could be paid to him.
