The never-ending danger

But maybe there is reason to be optimistic?

I am going to tell you a story.

Often.

I am going to repeat it.

Often.

I am going to get my most powerful friends to repeat it.

Often.

If I am lucky, some of the people you trust most will also repeat it.

Often.

What do you think will eventually happen?

That answer is obvious: You will believe the story. Facts will become irrelevant. Other potential narratives will be ignored. Eventually, and this is my hope, you, too, will begin to repeat the story.

Often.

Be careful before you say that you would never be influenced to that degree.

For far too many years, Americans have been led to believe that — depending upon the year in which the story is being told — certain nations remain determined to destroy the US and the West.

Anyone reading this who grew up in the 1950s through the 1980s will remember that the Soviet Union was (supposedly) evil incarnate.

The Soviets were ready, willing and able to drop nuclear bombs on us! (Forget for a moment that we could do that to them.)

They were spying on us! (Forget for a moment that we did that to them.)

The Soviets wanted to spread communism and totalitarianism all around the world! (Forget for a moment that we wanted to spread capitalism and democracy all around the world.)

The American elite understood that one sure-fire way to insist the men from Moscow were “evil” was to ensure that Americans knew only of the (supposed) depravity emanating from the Kremlin. If that effort succeeded, then the public would be unable to comprehend any other narrative. Oh, sure, the political and military communities tempered some of this hostile rhetoric by reminding people that “we don’t have any problem with the Soviet people; our gripe is with the Soviet government.” That line did one thing only — allow for a human and caring mask to cover the nasty face.

Was the Soviet Union perfect? No. There are enough historical examples to validate that. But then again, neither was (or is) the United States. Likewise, there are enough historical examples to validate that. But that misses the point. And that point is the drumbeat of “the USSR is bad” had to continue. That storyline allowed for the military-industrial complex to grow more and more wealthy. And it also ensured that more and more Americans remained poor.

Day after day, the media parroted the official line about the USSR. Lest we forget: Anyone from inside or outside the media who dared to question this narrative was quickly tarred with labels such as “Commie Lover.” Read Manufacturing Consent to find out the ramifications of daring to question the dominant message.

Of course, now China is the monster under the bed, which I have argued is a nonsensical idea that nevertheless has staying power because it is repeated over and over and over again.

The sun rises in the east. Every single day.

It sets in the west. Every single day.

And China is the bogeyman. Every single day.

Because the men in Beijing are “evil,” one economic sanction after another is necessary. One threat after another against Chinese scholars and students must be made. One million dollars after another has to be earmarked for defense. All to make sure that China does not undermine the US. (And let’s not talk about the often ill-considered legislation that is trumpeted as a bulwark against China’s rise.)

Thankfully, there might be some good news, and more people should consider it. Americans might be showing signs of ignoring the China-bashing nonsense. New poll numbers suggest that the percentage of Americans who consider China to be an “enemy” dropped by seven percentage points over the past couple of years, and the percentage who envision China as an “ally or trade partner” grew by eight percentage points.

Yes, this is only one poll, and that means caution is necessary. In seeking a reason for the data, people might immediately jump to the conclusion that social media is the cause (or the blame, if you do not appreciate such news). Social media platforms do allow for messages that the mainstream media ignore to be amplified.

Let’s take a step back and set aside seeking an explanation for the poll numbers. Instead, let’s see if future polls — and conducted by other organizations — align with the one mentioned above. If they do, then a serious conversation can take place about what might be causing the changes in public opinion.

But for now, let’s imagine how much better the US-China relationship will be — and how much better informed American audiences would be — if the necessary nuanced perspective about China begins.

That would be a story to tell.

Often.