A community rates low on an information scale when the press, radio, and other channels of communication are controlled by only a few people, and when citizens have to accept what they are told.
In communities of this kind, despotism stands a good chance.
See how a community trains its teachers. Bear this in mind.
“Young people cannot be trusted to form their own opinions. This business about open-mindedness is nonsense. It's a waste of time trying to teach students to think for themselves. It's our job to tell them.”
And when teachers put such training into practice, despotism stands a good chance. These children are being taught to accept uncritically whatever they're told. Questions are not encouraged.
“How can you ask such a question? Have you got a textbook?”
“Yes, ma'am.”
“Does it say here that our law courts are always just?”
“Yes, ma'am.”
“Then how dare you question the fact? Sit down.”
And so we aren't surprised when... “But it must be true. I saw it in this book right here.”
And if books and newspapers and the radio are efficiently controlled, the people will read and accept exactly what the few in control want them to.
Government censorship is one form of control. A newspaper which breaks the government censorship rule can be suspended.
It is also possible for newspapers and other forms of communication to be controlled by private interests.
“I thought I told you to kill that story. It'll cost us a lot of advertising.”
“If that story goes out, I quit.”
“Alright.”
This film was made at the end of the Second World War, and shown in schools so that despotism would not come to America as it did in Germany. Unfortunately, they took it out of schools a decade or so later, which might explain a few things.
Here’s the full film:
We don't need no education
We don't need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teacher, leave them kids alone
Hey, teacher, leave them kids alone
All in all, it's just another brick in the wall
All in all, you're just another brick in the wall
We don't need no education
We don't need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers, leave them kids alone
Hey, teacher, leave us kids alone
All in all, you're just another brick in the wall
All in all, you're just another brick in the wall
If you don't eat yer meat, you can't have any pudding
How can you have any pudding if you don't eat yer meat?
You! Yes, you behind the bike stands
Stand still, laddy!
Roger Waters, Another Brick in the WallFurther reading:
How does your country rate on the information scale?