Chomsky uses the term concision to discuss the way mainstream media outlets respond to power. Having concision means that ideas which align with forces of power in our society need no explanation and those that do not align with those forces of power need significant explanation. This allows the narrative of the “state religion” to be told across the media, because it’s quick and easy since it needs no explanation. However, opposing viewpoints which need explanation take too long for a standard news segment or, in the current era, TikTok, and therefore do not get heard.

Think Traditional Education “Works”? Prove it

Now, the kinds of things that I would say on Nightline, you can’t say in one sentence, because they depart from standard religion. If you want to repeat the religion you can get away with it between two commercials. If you wanna say something that questions the religion, you’re expected to give evidence, and that you can’t do between two commercials, so therefore you lack concision so therefore you can’t talk. I think that’s a terrific technique of propaganda. To impose concision is a way of virtually guaranteeing that the party line gets repeated over and over again and that nothing else is heard.

Noam Chomsky, Noam Chomsky – Conversations with History – YouTube

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