# 23. Media-Techno manipulation ## 23.5. Methodology/Refinements/Sub-species ### 23.5.4. Flooding This technique involves the creation of a virtual flood of reinforcing or complementary messages, signs and symbolic media aimed at an audience, with the objective of indoctrinating a victim into believing some false representation of reality. Nowadays, western citizens are virtually swimming in an ocean of cultural consumerism, largely due to the "flooding" of our mainstream media by Hollywood, the broadcasting of 24 hour news, and, of course, the omnipresence of commercials on most mainstream media. We are constantly confronted with symbols and messages that overtly or covertly reinforce capitalist and consumerist messages. For a case in point, look at the overwrought emphasis on "achievement", "ambition", and "image" as the primary subliminal lessons being promoted by the media to our children from their earliest years. As opposed to our children learning and understanding the meaning of basic humanist morality or how the world really works, our educational system, with the support of the conventional media, pushes them to achieve material success. Instead of using the language of true education, like "knowledge", "curiosity", "understanding", etc., our media constantly use the language of career and material success, like "getting a good job", "ambition", "career development", "paying your way" etc. This indoctrinates our young people to believe that the only raison d'être for education is as a means to achieve material security. This degrades education as a liberating pursuit but nonetheless it is the popular view of education and we are flooded by such views in the media. ### 23.6.4. Avoidance of Flooding It's difficult to manage this phenomenon, especially when a victim is being totally overwhelmed with media of a particular bias. The only solution is to find alternative sources of information and simply refuse to be the manipulated audience. It is always possible somehow, even if that means increased isolation.