Media, fear, and the priming of publics

On this episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex sit down with Catherine Lutz, co-founder of the Costs of War Project and professor emerita at Brown University, to dissect the culture of war in Washington that keeps America perpetually at war — with taxpayers footing the bill. 

First, they discuss the "base coat" of fear that defines Americans' understanding of the world. Catherine explains how decades of domestic and international policy have primed the public to view global problems as "nails" that require a military hammer, and how this systemic anxiety is leveraged to justify a federal discretionary budget that prioritizes force over what's actually required to keep Americans safe.

Next, they unpack the linguistic sleight of hand used by the media to make Americans identify personally with the violent actions of the state. From "allowing" oil shipments to reach Cuba to the "beautiful" imagery of weaponry on the evening news, they deconstruct how the language of dominance prevents the public from seeing the government as a separate entity capable of making distinct, often disastrous, choices on the global stage.

Finally, they take a hard look at the opportunity costs of the current war in Iran. Catherine explains the trade-offs Washington routinely makes between military power and Americans' wellbeing — that every dollar poured into a war of choice is a dollar stripped from Americans' wellbeing. They challenge the persistent myth of the military jobs program and discuss what it would look like to finally reclaim a peaced dividend for the American people.

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Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. 

They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.

Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.org
Contact the show: alwaysatwar@quincyinst.org

Show art by Justin Hantz

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