pandemic 2

WE’RE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT NOW
been possible to prevent the outbreak with more freedom
of speech, or has China been forced to sacrifice civil liberties
in the province of Hubei in order to save the world? In
some sense, both alternatives are true. And what makes
things even worse is that there is no easy way to separate
the “good” freedom of speech from the “bad” rumors.
When critical voices complain that “the truth will always
be treated as a rumor” by the Chinese authorities, one
should add that the official media and the vast domain of
digital news are already full of rumors.
A blistering example of this was provided by one of
the main Russian national television networks, Channel
One, which launched a regular slot devoted to coronavirus
conspiracy theories on its main evening news
programme, Vremya (“Time”). The style of the reporting is
ambiguous, appearing to debunk the theories while leaving
viewers with the impression that they contain a kernel
of truth. The central message, that shadowy Western
elites, and especially the US, are somehow ultimately
to blame for coronavirus epidemics is thus propagated
as a doubtful rumor: it’s too crazy to be true, but nonetheless,
who knows . . . ? 3 The suspension of actual truth
3. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-51413870.
11