Spinning

The same thing can be viewed positively or negatively, depending on choice of words, especially adjectives, nouns, and verbs. (Even adverbs!)

Spin is an establishment insider term for manipulation of the establishment media, or the attempt to manipulate it, by politicians' lackeys, media “consultants,” PR “experts,” corporate operatives, celebrity agents, and other such gold-plated riffraff.

Spin is flacks trying to get hacks to write positive propaganda about their clients or bosses, or to “shape the coverage” of some policy or event to make their clients or bosses look good or to deflect bad publicity or blame.

Spin has two directions, or slants: positive and negative.

Positive spin would be trying to make a candidate look good, for example. Negative spin would be trying to make the opposing candidate look bad.

Defensive spin occurs in response to negative information coming into the public domain, or in reaction to a crisis or negative event, such as the killing of the U.S. Ambassador to Libya by jihadi types.

When the media spins things at us, you can call it bias. Most “spinning” is in fact done by the corporate media, to us. Naturally the establishment's propagandists pretend spin is only something flacks do to the propagandists. They maintain this pretense because they want us to believe they are objective, and neutral, and thus trustworthy, and that the propaganda they present us with is in fact the world as it actually is.

Which it most definitely is not. But you figured that out by now, didn't you?

Spin can be as simple as basic word choice. Look at the paired words below. Notice how the same thing can be viewed either positively or negatively.

Warming-- Threat

Committed-- Stubborn

Dedicated-- Obsessive
Passionate- Emotional
Alert to danger- Paranoid

Determined to get justice-- vengeful

Childlike-- Childish

Bold-- Reckless

Brash-- Abrasive

Outspoken-- Shrill

Feisty-- Obnoxious (1)

And so on. Thus the adjective applied to someone or to their action depends on whether the media masters are for or against that person or action.

Now that you have reviewed this short list, find your own examples! Have fun doing your own propaganda analysis!

1) Bella Abzug was “shrill,” Ed Koch “feisty.” I do believe their politics had something to do with those word choices by the $ media.