Gavin Esler on MediaLens "robots"
Posted by Ken Farrell September 21 2007, 00:24 » Uploaded 21/9/07 07:05

I'm no fan of Esler (a presenter of BBC2's Newsnight), but he says some sensible things about Medialens. (I'm "biased" on this matter having been banned from Medialens after making some innocuous comments which didn't fit their worldview).

Reader's exchange with BBC's Gavin Esler posted to Medialens forum 20/9/07:

Dear Frank

The reason no one takes media lens seriously is not the substance of your complaints. It is the robotic, identikit, narcissistic manner in which they are expressed. I know you will not understand this, but your complaint below is precisely what I had in mind. I made a comparison with the fascistic habit of mind which seeks to intimidate through numbers of people unthinkingly doing the same thing. Hilariously, you and a handful of other people have done precisely that. Berthold Brecht explains the fascistic habit of mind and its lack of self-awareness when he pointed out that "Furz hat keine Nase."

Please don't write again. Genuine complaints from geuine people I am happy to deal with. Phoney outrage from medialens is simply a waste of everyone's time. Again, I don't suppose you will get it.

Gavin

Posted to Medialens messageboard 19/9/07:

Sorry but this medialens inspired stuff is very sophomoric. The last
time I remember a robotic response from people like this was watching
film of the nuremberg rallies. I always wondered why people marched to

another's beat without any obvious thought from themselves. Perhaps
you know the answer, or perhaps you merely intend to keep marching.
Please don't write to me again in someone else's words. It is so
embarrasing for you. Please learn to think for yourself.

Gavin

...and another, same post:

I'm sorry you were offended but when you parrot other people's ideas as
if they were your own you behave exactly like an automaton. Shame on
you. Please think for yourself. Medialens has no credibility whatsoever
for precisely that reason. No doubt your own views are sincere. If they
are your own views. (Gavin Esler)

Posted to Medialens messageboard 20/9/07:

dear declan

i object to the deceitful and frankly despicable methods of medialens which discredit whatever point it is they - you - have to make in your orchestrated and robotic campaign. if you really are doing this "thinkingly" then you are utterly beyond redemption. you have decided to act like an automaton? hilarious.

please don't write to me again. matters of war and peace are too important for your synthetic outrage.

gavin

Comment 01 – dav September 21 2007, 09:35

Which things are the sensible things?

Comment 02 – Ken Farrell September 21 2007, 15:03

The "Nuremberg" comparison was OTT and stupid (Esler should know better), but I've seen enough evidence to convince me that his objections to the "identikit", "robotic" nature of many Medialens readers' emails is warranted. And sensible.

You don't improve an argument by repeating it a hundred times. Especially when the recipient indicates they heard you the first time.

Medialens aren't the only campaigning group on the planet - many other groups with other important issues are attempting to be heard by MSM journalists.

Comment 03 – ALP September 23 2007, 16:43

Invoking the word "fascistic" in this context possibly isn't going to help Esler's case, but remember that Medialens started that type of argument by accusing BBC presenter Jeremy Vine of "friendly fascism" for pointing out that failure to find WMDs in Iraq would be "embarrassing" for politicians.