The recent Putin–Trump spectacle drew a thousand journalists to Alaska, culminating in an overhyped meeting with European leaders and President Zelensky at the White House. And for what? Nothing happened.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration deployed the National Guard in Washington, D.C., followed days later by FBI raids on the home of John Bolton, his former national security adviser and one of his fiercest critics.
The drama continued when Federal Judge Kathleen M. Williams issued a preliminary injunction on August 21, 2025, halting the expansion of the controversial “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration detention facility and ordering its operations wound down.
These headlines all share a common thread: they do not aim to resolve problems. Their purpose is to trap us—to keep us afraid, silent, and isolated. The system is using the media to paralyze, and it’s working.
As Common Dreams recently pointed out in the article “Trump’s DC Occupation Costs 4 Times More Than It Would Take to House City’s Entire Homeless Population,” these spectacles highlight misplaced priorities. The issue is never resolved—it is a distraction.
There is a persistent belief that a fearful population will eventually revolt and seize control of its destiny. But history offers little evidence to support this claim. Fear more often breeds submission than transformation.
The real question is: has the press become complicit in amplifying fear, endlessly recycling hollow slogans and inconsequential headlines instead of contributing to genuine human understanding and development?
Do we still need to publish—and read—yet another article about Trump’s threats? Or should we commit to our real work: reporting and investigating consequential events that shape people’s lives?
We hold the power to choose what we publish. We hold the power to build a different narrative—one rooted in the human experience and its future.
The post The World Will Change When the Press Understands Its Power first appeared on Dissident Voice.
This content originally appeared on Dissident Voice and was authored by David Andersson.