The mediacracy as the driver behind mass formation

by Anton Theunissen | 1 feb 2026, 18:02

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36 Comments
  1. Arnoud

    Hat! 👏👍🙏

    Reply
  2. Marjan

    I just read an article in the AD-online about the higher number of deaths after corona. The chief demographer of CBS claims that it is probably the deteriorated health condition (due to corona?) of people that causes the additional deaths. Nice example. Based on nothing, subject handled quickly. Surely he knows better?
    Top article again Anton!

    Reply
    1. Anton Theunissen

      I have Ruben van Gaalen been caught before on white lies.
      I also responded to X's explanation:
      “We did not expect this a few years ago,” says @RubenvanGaalen of CBS.

      Well, we do.

      If virtually the entire population is injected with untested genetically modified material, it says something about your own competence if you have not been prepared for poor health outcomes.

      We are at the mercy of out-of-control technocrats. Take care of yourself!
      See X

      Reply
  3. Willem

    Beautiful, very substantive essay. Sometimes it feels a bit like a chicken and egg problem. I mean, are the media the engine of mass formation, or are the masses the engine of media formation?

    'Those who are overwhelmed every day by one coherent worldview can keep their world comfortably manageable and understandable. Seen in this way, trust is an energy-saving mechanism rather than a virtue'

    I consider it decadence. The comfortable belief in make believe. The big story that everyone follows explains the world. But the world is not that easy to discover. You have to do your best (as in chess for an excellent love).

    “The need for stability is stronger than the pursuit of truth.”

    Yet there is nothing more stable than truth. 2+2=4 is true and needs no story to make it true. 2+2=5 on the other hand, for that to be true… and this is what makes media so addictive, a constant search by the consumer for truth (which cannot be found in the media).

    “Anyone who places their own perception above the collective story risks social ostracism.”

    You do get stability in return (because finding truth as in 2+2=4 gives stability)

    “Facts that do not dissonate are believed because they do not disturb.”

    Facts that do not dissonate do not stick, which makes belief in those non-dissonant facts as meaningless, like fleeting dreams.

    “The task of the independent thinker is not only to keep speaking, but also to keep sending, to keep sharing – in many voices, many forms, in many places.”

    A day job yes. What can I say: a full time job! -good to combat boredom and a therapeutic for those who think too easily that they can control the world to their will.

    Reply
    1. Anton Theunissen

      “Truth”… what is that. I prefer to look at finding the truth: a search, a process. Truth (consensus?) in many sciences awaits a better hypothesis.
      A mathematical example (not so much a truth as a circular definition: that's how the symbols are defined, after all) does not apply to all domains.

      The chicken-egg question: Hundreds of millions have been spent on manipulating mass formation in the right direction. The government clearly identifies itself as the chicken.

      Reply
      1. J.G.M. van der Zanden

        Some findings/"hypotheses"/laws of nature can consider themselves fortunate that they possess eternal truth (Aristotle). Such as the statement 2 + 2 = 4.
        And yet many scientists sin against such elementary truths.
        Mi. that is precisely one of the major problems in current science.

        And that is separate from the harmful role of the media that you very well described.
        See my other response.

        Reply
  4. Saskia Vriesisinga

    Good piece! And whoever gets this published in the mainstream media wins the grand prize...

    Reply
    1. c

      “And the rooster crowed (three times)”, the chicken (government) does not want to hear it, we are/are even forbidden to ask questions. With the help of the media, most are indoctrinated. Steering towards secondary vocational education (MBO) and preferably in defense will result in fewer substandard HBO and university graduates... The influence, through policy and media, is shocking in education, so children are also told at a very early age that you better believe the chicken story, otherwise something will change. My grandchildren hear the rooster crowing at home, but because we always say “talk and write along a bit”, I managed to get good grades until last week when the class voted on “are you for or against the planet”. A very broad concept with the explanation that recognizing all themes such as Ukraine, climate change, vaccinations and anti-Sinterklaas without questioning is FOR the planet and if you do question it, you are AGAINST the planet. That went too far for my grandchildren so they shouted “what bullshit!” and came home upset because it will cost them points... Hopefully it will blow over, they are almost always free from school due to the extremely high absenteeism and/or absence due to family circumstances of the teachers.

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  5. J.G.M. van der Zanden

    (Jan, apologies for the late posting: some of your comments ended up in the Trash for one reason or another, among hundreds of Russian spam messages. Your other comments on this post have been posted, so here are these for the sake of completeness.
    Anton.)

    I think this is a very good and plausible analysis of how the crowd is/has been played.
    Yet something is wrong. And that is the role and action of the “scientists”.

    I am of the opinion that the “scientists” at both universities and institutes (RIVM, KNMI, TNO, etc.) should rise from their own echo chamber even without the press. They in particular should listen less to the press and let their Aristotelian scientific compass work. And they almost structurally don't do that. That is really very worrying.
    The scientists themselves respectively the scientific institutions are rotten through and through.

    Of course you can (partly) explain this by the uniform media. But by doing so you eliminate the role and responsibility of the scientists themselves. Is it not up to the average journalist to systematically critically question highly specialized scientists? Shouldn't that be what the professional group of scientists should do themselves? And they don't.

    Mi. So the problem lies (not only!, because the press/media play a crucial role in translating science to the public), with scientists who are simply no longer good. Their critical mind, independence, logical mind, etc. etc. are somehow disabled, causing them to participate en masse in “nonsense”. Or as some say: 97% of climate scientists “blindly” agree with IPCC. This means that 97% of those scientists do not see further than their nose.

    The ideology (or prejudices) of many scientists undoubtedly plays a major role in this [as you also write!], as a result of which they no longer observe the facts accurately and no longer reason logically. And of course the vested interests, as mentioned by T.S. Kuhn established it more than 60 years ago: it is very “difficult” to go against government policy because of financial interests. As a result, you will almost certainly miss the funding for your next research. That is what you call “systemic captivity”.

    Mi. this, in addition to the indoctrination by the media, is an equally worrying point. The entire “scientific enterprise”, and therefore also the “scientists” themselves, is/are as rotten as a medlar. And again, that is separate from the mediacracy. Scientists are simply not scientists anymore.

    See https://clintel.nl/van-wetenschap-naar-scientisme-de-crisis-van-de-moderne-wetenschap/ which is completely about this problem.

    Of course, I wholeheartedly support your remedies: keep speaking out against the nonsense that is so frequently sold!

    Reply
  6. Michael Smulders

    Important insight. In fact, it is a supplement to Desmet's book Totalitarianism: if this book is subject to criticism, it is that it underexposes the power of the media.
    In addition to this argument, I would like to mention Chomsky's analysis of the safe and comfortable path. This path is not only taken by readers, but also by writers within the traditional (old, mainstream) media.
    A striking example is the vaccination discussion. There are hardly any journalists who want to write about this, there are hardly any doctors who want to speak out and the majority of the population would rather follow the path of the RIVM, even though research, policy formulation and implementation are handled by one hand and simply asking questions is labeled as morally reprehensible. Thanks Anton

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  7. Lydia

    It seems that we are being fooled by both the regular and most alternative media.

    For example, participants in critical discussions about corona vaccines in the main alternative media often said that they were not anti-vaxers. However, if an injection that is unnecessary for most (not a risk group), barely tested and manufactured on the basis of an experimental (mRNA) technology is loudly pushed (in the mainstream media) as necessary, safe and effective, a right-thinking person would also question the usefulness of other vaccinations.

    And if there are experts who, in fragments of genetic material fitted together by a computer program, are not a virus genome, but a “unique and complete arrangement of [human] genomic elements” ( https://web.archive.org/web/20031121154716/http://www.chronixbiomedical.com/Research/press_release3.html ) and the only other indication for the existence of SARS viruses is a toxic soup in which cells die (supposedly as a result of the virus), why do alternative media continue to cling so stubbornly to the lab leak theory?

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    1. c

      In the new media there is more room for different opinions, debate and research without fiddling with figures, etc., but there are also people who consider their opinion more important than the opinion of someone else, with or without substantiation. I don't see that as being fooled or fooled. We have all been fooled for a very long time with the mainstream media in the lead, so let's continue to set a good example! Our freedom, self-determination and freedom of expression are at stake and have partly already been destroyed. I fully support the people who are sticking their necks out to fix that and admire them for their courage!

      Reply
      1. Lydia

        Anyone who is not an anti-vaxer will still have their children punctured and the lab leak theory leaves the door wide open for a next period of virus terror. These are therefore important issues.

        It seems that there is a story for gullible citizens and (at least) a story for suspicious ones that differs little from it. It also seems that there are people who are paid to sell the latter stories, so-called gatekeepers, and they of course do not deserve support and admiration.

        In my opinion, it doesn't really matter who the gatekeepers are and who those who only believe in the gatekeeper stories. More important is the realization that there may be writers and distributors of stories that are sold as nonfiction, but are fictional.

        Reply
  8. J.G.M. van der Zanden

    Test.

    Reply
    1. J.G.M. van der Zanden

      strange, I can no longer post messages here….. Too long?

      Reply
      1. Anton Theunissen

        Jeroen manages to post something... I am not aware that the length is a factor. Maybe the number of hyperlinks? Or is it a dump of AI output? There may also be disturbing elements.

        Reply
        1. JGM van der Zanden

          No, not at all… I don't understand…
          Doing these short posts is called.

          Reply
  9. Richard

    It is also special that the social media algorithms are blamed for maintaining misinformation. They ensure that similar messages appear on your timeline.
    The reverse is of course also the case. The algorithm also ensures that there is no diversity on your timeline. So the narrative will also strengthen itself through this algorithm.
    This is now also happening with AI. In addition to the fact that restrictions have been imposed in the software, AI may not bring constitutional matters into question, for example, AI will also use “majority votes count”.

    What strikes me about this story is the energy put into steering opinion. If you take into account the effort made to limit X, you would conclude that there is a specific goal that is being strived for.
    If the information that questions the narrative also disappears, then you will be able to mold the opinions in the direction you want.
    All in all, I end up with the WEF and that this is not "just" a club...

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    1. Yorianne

      Ever since the global kick-off of the corona deception in 2020, it has been clear that an agenda is being rolled out. The WEF is both a visible think tank and an implementer. In any case, I cannot escape the thought that there is a steering body up there, especially because - even years later - it still continues in the same way.

      Reply
  10. P. Koelewijn

    Excellent stuk, Anton!

    Reply
  11. Teus Slagboom

    Nice description of the mechanism in which we influence each other and “create” our own truth. That is exactly what all the responses to this post do, stay in your own bubble and confirm to each other how we believe in each other's truth and call the outsiders crazy, after all, they don't understand anything!?

    Reply
    1. Anton Theunissen

      Good example of an expression of opinion: stating something and showing disapproval without further stating reasons.
      Everyone is of course allowed to express themselves - but it would help the discussion if something substantive was also reported. Are we all wrong? Where and how, what is wrong with the article? I'd like to hear it.

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    2. J.G.M. van der Zanden

      Well, then you probably didn't read all the comments.
      Because I sometimes make a critical voice here. In general, I agree with what is said/written on this bubble. But sometimes not at all.
      But it would help, as Anton writes, if you indicate what your substantive criticism is of the article. Then we can “sharpen the knives” in search of The Truth…..
      So: I am very curious to know where you think that the bubble here is “no good” or is contrary to science/empiricism/logic.

      Reply
  12. J.G.M. van der Zanden

    I think this is a very good and plausible analysis of how the masses are played. Yet something is wrong. And that is the role and action of the scientists themselves.

    I am of the opinion that scientists at both universities and institutes such as the RIVM, KNMI and TNO should rise from their own echo chamber even without the press. They in particular should listen less to the press and let their Aristotelian scientific compass work. And they almost structurally don't do that. That is really very worrying. The scientists themselves and the scientific institutions in general are rotten through and through.

    Reply
    1. J.G.M. van der Zanden

      *Continued 2*

      The ideology of many scientists plays a major role in this, as a result of which they no longer observe the facts accurately. And of course the vested interests, as Kuhn established more than sixty years ago: financial interests make it difficult to go against government policy. As a result, you will miss out on funding for your next research. That's what you call systemic captivity.

      The whole scientific enterprise is as rotten as a medlar. That is separate from the mediacracy. Scientists are simply not scientists anymore. Of course, I wholeheartedly support your remedies: keep speaking out against the nonsense!

      Reply
    2. Anton Theunissen

      The scientists who settle in and work their way up within an institute are not so rebellious, Jan. I know some who have been transferred or have had to seek refuge in another department. Then you will quickly unlearn your stubbornness within your working environment.
      It is also not entirely separate from the mediacracy. Academics feed pre-eminently on information from the quality media. For example, if they report positively about wind turbines, they think they are doing well. Their worldview is pre-packaged by talk shows, NRC and Volkskrant.

      Independent media could also play a role in 'exploding' fluff research. The opposite happens, we have learned from the corona period.
      Scientific publishers (also 'media') are no better.

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      1. J.G.M. van der Zanden

        I get that. But they don't have to be rebellious. They “just” have to keep thinking logically. But they don't even do that. Ok, it takes a little courage to make a different sound. And of course media indoctrination also plays a role in this. But I find it very worrying that scientists allow themselves to be deceived in this way.
        You undoubtedly know that Maurice has many contacts in the inner circles. He has also repeatedly noticed that they are honest with him/say something different than in the media. So they lie in public.
        I think those scientists are really no good. That is why I think the scientists are “rotten as a medlar”. Regardless of how great the influence of the media is... So I don't disagree with you. But I place much more responsibility on those scientists than on the media. You turn that around. I really have trouble with that. Especially because every ignoramus knows that the media is after hype and has no pure motives. So I think you can certainly expect scientists to allow themselves to be influenced by the media to a very limited extent. If they allow themselves to do so, it is not due to the media but to the fact that those scientists are not real scientists.

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        1. c

          It is not “or” but “and”. Even “and and and and”: Science, education, politics (government), media. In no particular order with (financial) interests (conflicts). Courageous people with a sense of justice and logic are in the minority. Look at the terrible game that is going on now in the media and politics. Horrible pictures and Lubach's item about a political party continued to portray very intelligent people as stupid and bad, etc. Everything is allowed when you are in that bubble. A very large, intense file is made small with “some Dutch models are involved”. Who orders all this management? Answers can now be found in that big horrible file, so these could be golden times for journalists because science has also been guided, as the first three million documents show. What a shame, forgive my choice of words.

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        2. Anton Theunissen

          Yes, you have high expectations of 'scientists'. In an ideal world that should be possible. Unfortunately, it has now become clear that the percentage of independent thinkers, especially among institutionalized scientists, is no different than among the rest of the population. 5%, 10%? There may be more, but they certainly won't show it or the institute will filter them out. Then that percentage becomes even lower. Lowest at the top of the pyramid.

          You can blame those people - “you have to be critical, wise and honest” - but if you put others there, over time the same thing will happen again and the system will reward the most compliant officials and push them to the top.

          Such a pattern can only be filleted from the outside. I thought that was a job for the media – once. However, the transparency requirement has been completely forgotten and the media no longer enforces it. Journalists are also encapsulated in large conglomerates, yearning for the favor of friendly scientists who can provide a scoop. The biggest bullshit is shouted with great bravado by 'science journalists'.

          Hence my hope for alternatives and information pressure from below. You are of course right that the watchdog function of the media should not even be necessary. But then the systems would have to have different incentives. Scientists themselves should insist on transparency. That won't happen within an institute whose first goal is to continue itself. It applies to every authority and all concentrations of power: without transparency and strict control - call it distrust - things will always go wrong. Especially in billion-dollar markets, the stakes are simply too great, both personal, institutional, national and geopolitical. Then a scientist thinks: What should I actually mean as a stubborn little man...

          Reply
          1. J.G.M. van der Zanden

            I agree with you 100%. It shows that the “scientists” and their institutions are rotten through and through. The people who work there do not deserve the name of scientist, with the exception of perhaps those 5 to 10%.

            And the media allow it to happen or keep quiet about it or even give it a helping hand.

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            1. Richard

              At work I have been told that I discuss “what is not said”.
              It is also indicated “you should not exaggerate this”.
              See here the “shadow dance” that takes place.
              We are happy that you are critical and don't keep your mouth shut, but be careful, it can also be too much.
              So you can be 100% right with what you say, but it shouldn't hurt too much. So you are intimidated/warned that you can also go too far.
              This is the dual situation that those scientists also find themselves in. They know it's not right, but to be the one to kick the bucket...
              The example is renowned colleagues who have been canceled and have lost their reputation and job. Only the emeritus professors who have nothing left to lose will continue to speak.
              They give their opinions privately, but openly they follow the consensus.

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              1. Yorianne

                As long as people keep quiet, continue to follow the prescribed narrative, nothing will change. Rising together is something we have either forgotten or never had.

                Reply
  13. support

    I know that this is not the intention of your articles and forum, but I would still like to share this song (already 10 years old) by an activist artist with whom I have often disagreed in terms of activism, but morally I often do.
    Because activist-wise, the singer in question is too one-sided (is on a music label of a classmate and still friend of Prince Harry from England, but claims to be an anarchist) and is therefore anything but pluralistic, to say the least.

    However, this number still makes sense, no matter how simple it may be, I think it touches on most of the titles of the points you mention. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9ixUlfFVmY.

    You probably wouldn't have accepted this 10 years ago anyway, is my bias, based on your introspective and substantive articles. And since this is not a music forum, I understand that this cannot be allowed.

    However, the song has an emotional charge.

    Greetings,

    Teun

    Reply
    1. Anton Theunissen

      With such motivation I can't refuse 🙂
      (but please don't make it a habit)

      Reply
      1. support

        Of course you can decline that, and no problem if you did. But thanks for allowing it.

        I come from a different background (care) and started enthusiastically as a student in 2008 at HBO-V (nursing) and my project group was of the opinion that we should talk about AIDS. AND then I came across Peter Duesberg and Kary Mullis, among others. Since then (18 years) my view of the world changed forever.

        I was unsure about this for decades and did not complete my studies, but as soon as COVID started (I was working for a prominent mental health institution at the time) I immediately said that they (management) had to see through this. Hypochondria is a psychiatric illness, right? I will never forget the first day of the lockdown. I could make it a long story, but I will spare this forum.

        Greetings,

        Teun

        Reply

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