Pandering for profits

Created
Sat, 11/03/2023 - 05:30
Updated
Sat, 11/03/2023 - 05:30
Murdoch has made a market and he’s selling to it. That’s all there is. I have always been skeptical of the economic deterministic view that you can reduce all human motivation to money. People are complicated and are motivated by many things, including ego, fear, love, status, etc. Economic motives are certainly part of the equation but I’ve never bought the idea that you can always explain everything if you just “follow the money.” Businesses, however, can usually be put in the “money is everything” category and many make the argument that that’s how it should be, fiduciary duty and all that. There are certain wealthy actors who are motivated by both ideology and money. These are people who use their power and their businesses to advance personal causes while also chasing a profit. The right-wingers among them (the majority of the bunch) have the felicitous advantage of their ideology working to their economic imperative so no doubt some of their alleged ideals are simply in service of that goal. Over the years it’s been assumed that Rupert Murdoch has been one of those businessmen. He is the most influential right-wing media mogul in the world and has been closely associated with conservative politics and politicians across the globe. He promoted the right’s ideologies in his newspapers, magazines, publishing, television and more. His son Lachlan, who is preparing to take the reins of the organization, has been thought to be even more committed to the advancement of the right’s political…