The kings watched the night Moscow from the observation deck of the Ostankino TV tower. Below, under their feet, was a city shining with lights, along the streets of which thousands of people were moving, from the height of the building more like insects. Those present had a leisurely conversation about the fate of their Empire.
- You know, gentlemen, I recently listened to a lecture by Professor Efimov … - began the computer genius Alex.
- This is the one we … - Vasily Vasilyevich interrupted him.
- Yes, Vasily Vasilyevich, the same one, - the television king Ivan Ivanovich interrupted him and, turning to Alex, said, - well, what have you learned there new for yourself?
- So, - Alex continued, - he said that if a person is surrounded by a negative information background, and even out of seven news at least one negative, - it plunges into chronic stress, reduces opportunities for development, creativity and, in general, a harmonious conscious life.
- So what surprises you? - Ivan Ivanovich replied condescendingly, - that's why we build our news releases this way - we provide information chaotically, haphazardly and regularly cover all kinds of dirt. Yes, we were also reinsured, with us, God forbid, if out of seven news - one positive will come across, and then, consider, a great rarity.
- That's why Alex, look how this herd lives. Why do you think they all the time strive for something, excuse me, "stick out"? Yes, because they are scared to horror from the news that we broadcast on all channels. So they are fleeing from reality into some kind of narcotic intoxication, whether it be alcohol, cigarettes and other drugs, everything is interconnected, yes Vasily Vasilyevich? - the head of the sex industry Petr Petrovich grinned and turned to his colleague.
- Yes, if it were not for the constant stress with which we surround the rabble - it would obviously be more difficult to drink them, this is a fact, - agreed the alcohol tycoon Vasily Vasilyevich.
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- As for this professor Efimov, we have already resolved the issue with him, - added Ivan Ivanovich.
- What is it like? Alex asked.
“It doesn't matter, he won't bother us anymore,” Ivan Ivanovich muttered through his teeth.
- We just discussed the novel by George Orwell "1984", - said Pyotr Petrovich, - and so I remembered, he also wrote about news releases. And I foresaw this too!
- Come on? Where was that? - Alex was surprised.
- In the novel it was called "Two Minutes of Hate." Judging by the description, it was a daily procedure - people were shown a short video clip with appropriate sound and visual effects, designed to evoke negative emotions in people, - explained Pyotr Petrovich.
- But for sure! Look, this is one to one - a description of a news release, - Alex exclaimed.
- Exactly, Alex. This is literally an instruction for us. Therefore, in the news, not only do we show every, sorry, tin - where someone was killed / robbed / raped, we also savor it, we serve it with all the bloody details, sound effects and we must select the appropriate, alarming music - significantly adds tension, you know whether. And how well we have learned to do it - even after one such news release, a person gets the impression that he lives in a dangerous country flooded with criminals and scoundrels, Ivan Ivanovich explained.
- So I'm wondering what is the use of an ordinary viewer if he knows in detail that another psycho began to shoot people in the street because his mother did not like in childhood, or, for example, to know about the victims of some a terrorist attack on the other side of the earth. What real benefit does it bring him? - asked another question Alex.
- It is of no use to an ordinary person, but it is huge for us, - Vasily Vasilyevich answered, - Do you remember how the “two minutes of hatred” ends in the novel? It ends with the audience, having thrown out all their energy on negative emotions, remain morally and physically devastated. And this is also one of our goals for people to worry, get angry, hate someone or be afraid and at the same time spend all their mental energy on this, and not on God forbid to think about something important.
- There is also a subtle psychological moment, Pyotr Petrovich decided to show off his erudition. - If a person regularly watches news about various tragedies and experiences at the same time, then he so eliminates his sense of guilt. They say, I care, I sympathize, I take part. It doesn't matter that his sympathy is of no use. And it often happens that such "sympathizers" remain completely deaf and blind in front of the real problems of the people around them, but they sit and sympathize with the victims of a terrorist attack in a country that they cannot even find on the map. This is simply a defense mechanism of the psyche that we skillfully play on. He sat, worried in front of the TV, sympathized, scolded some maniacs-terrorists and everything, like he took part in public life, you can continue drinking beer.
“And you, however, are a subtle psychologist,” Alex said.
- Well, I did not study in vain. In Soviet times, they knew how to give quality education. Here, it came in handy, - Pyotr Petrovich laughed.
“But let's not talk about Soviet education,” Vasily Vasilyevich asked sadly, “we have been destroying it for 30 years, but we still cannot break it. But nothing, or there will be more! The main thing, gentlemen, we have inspired people that it is very important to follow the news every day - they say, they also reflect reality. And in general, you need to be aware of everything.
- This is, as always, a half-truth, - Ivan Ivanovich explained. - Because we never show people the real picture of the world, we show only those facets of reality that are beneficial to us. And we will either keep silent about something constructive, or we will say about it in one thesis, but about the next maniac - we will make a whole news special issue, and we will discuss this incident all week on different programs. As for the journalists, here, like in show business, we sponsor and promote only those who know how to pull out the dirtiest clothes and then wave them around on Red Square, showing everyone how bad we live.
“And most importantly, these fools sincerely believe that television is telling them the truth,” Alex said.
- The truth ??? Alex, don't make me laugh. Have you ever seen a real murder with your own eyes? Well, or at least some kind of serious fight or just death of people? Not? And you gentlemen? - Ivan Ivanovich looked around the Kings, and they shook their heads, - well, that's what was required to be proved. And on TV you only hear about murders, violence and disasters, a minimum of positive information. The development of science, achievements in creativity, the exploits of ordinary people, normal healthy families - these are all generally prohibited topics for our television. You will not see any of the above. Unless some artist killed and ate his wife - we will definitely tell you about this, - Ivan Ivanovich laughed and added, - we must at least sometimes introduce people to art!
- I remembered! Remembered! - Alex perked up, who had been looking thoughtfully at night Moscow before, - I remembered! At school, two classmates had a fight over a girl.
The kings laughed and Alex added:
- Till blood! They fought to the blood!
- Well, Alex, your story is a vivid example of what is. And the standard TV viewer sees dozens of murders and corpses every day, and at the same time believes in the myth of the "reflection of reality."
- Parents, after regular news programming from our side, begin to be afraid of the child, not only letting one go out on the street, but even worrying about him when he is at school, - they give a phone with them and ask to constantly call back. From such children "mama's sons" then grow up - of course, they are taken everywhere by the hand until adolescence! And that's all we need - dependent people who, moreover, are in a state of stress - it is easier to manage, this is the foundations of psychology, right, Pyotr Petrovich? - Ivan Ivanovich grinned and turned towards the King of the sex business.
- Yes, I confirm, - Pyotr Petrovich responded. “For example, parents who are in eternal fear are responding with great zeal to our initiatives to introduce various control systems in the same educational institutions. With the support of this audience, we are deploying cameras, security posts, turnstiles, fences and badges everywhere. Restless mothers think that this is all for the safety of their children, but in reality, these very mothers now find it much more difficult to go to school in order to talk with a teacher or director - you need to leave an application in advance, take documents with you, and so on! And the degree of control over the herd due to all these measures increases dramatically.
- And I liked the way you promoted several tragic cases in children's camps, - Alex recalled. - And against this background, any active collective activity in nature was forbidden: hiking, tourist circles, travel. Now with children, you can only arrange discos and swim in the river, where the water is maximum knee-deep. As a result of this “care”, the number of teenagers hanging out in my social networks and computer games has grown dramatically.
- Do you know what's the funniest thing, Alex? - Ivan Ivanovich grinned. “Hundreds of times more children die each year on unorganized recreation than in the couple of incidents in the camps with which we intimidated everyone. But thanks to our efforts and the inability of the crowd to operate with statistics, today such strict restrictions and standards have been introduced in the field of children's recreation that officials suppress any initiative to take children to the mountains or into the forest.
“But it’s safe, like in a storage room, and in addition, everyone was relieved of responsibility,” added Pyotr Petrovich.
- Very competently, gentlemen, - Vasily Vasilyevich could not resist praising. - Hypertrophied care, eyewash, opportunism, pettiness, cowardice, illiteracy and everyday idiocy of adults deprived children of full conditions for development.
- In a word - "two minutes of hatred" is brought to life, - Alex laughed.
- So, in fact, we are in control of reality, - continued Ivan Ivanovich, - because most people look at the world through the TV screen. And we can easily manage their fears, likes and dislikes through news releases. A lie, repeated many times, becomes true. And if a person even just before leaving the house in the morning turns on the news in the background, these ten to twenty minutes will be enough to write down the entire current agenda for him by programming his behavior.
- But now more and more fashion comes not to watch TV, some even throw it away, - Alex noted with concern.
- And here all the hope is on you, my dear, - Ivan Ivanovich answered and patted Alex on the shoulder, - the era of the Internet is coming, and now we need to create the same negative background there as on television. And this is your task.
- Well, we will help you in any way we can, - Pyotr Petrovich smiled.
The kings fell silent, lost in thought. And under their feet Moscow shone with bright lights, intoxicated by the injections of the Ostankino needle. But in the concrete boxes of high-rise buildings there were already those who pulled out the poisonous syringe from their veins, and as the poison of lies left the mind, the consciousness cleared up. These loners were destined to become those who, like the legendary Danko, will lead many through the dark forest, and if necessary, they will illuminate the road in the darkness of the night with the light of their hearts. And with this light, as with the first rays of the rising sun, a new era will come - the era of the triumph of Truth.