“Anatomy of a Media Hoax” – Dr. Ian Reilly

I want to find and watch the video that Dr. Reilly talked about called the “Yes Men”

http://youtu.be/LiWlvBro9eI

Notes from his presentation:

“Hoaxing” – 18th Century –> The Golden age of hoaxing (Jonathan Swift/ William Dafoe/ Arson Wells)

Why do hoaxers actually perpetrate the hoaxes that they do?

Hoax in order to highlight social injustice:

“Proposal for preventing the children of poor people from being a burden on their parents and their country” Title of Jonathan Swift’s Essay

Exposing falsities

“There is no limit to what we are susceptible to believe”

Journalism – 24 sec. news cycle = speculation

– political / corporate corruption
– social inequities
– Weakened 4th estate
– Utopian

Media hoaxes as welcomed deceptions? YES!
– “Truth telling where normally there would be only lies” (The Yes Men)

–> Priorities: SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES —> Hoaxing in order to collaborate with media

Collaborative journalists

“Inherent dangers embedded in the everyday media consumption”

“Identity correction” as philosophy as practice

UTOPIAN sheen —> “Thinking of headlines we’d actually like to see” (The Yes Men in the news)

WHAT IF????

Hoaxes can bring a vision of utopian discourse to the forefront

Media literacy skills –> goal to increase the average citizen’s skepticism

Mindfullness!!

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