“The primary function of the MSM is not to inform but to sell beer and shampoo. Informing and enlightening are entirely secondary to that overriding capitalist value. So given the choice between understanding and ratings-grabbing sensationalism, the MSM will choose sensationalism every time: especially when it comes to religion and particularly when it comes to the Catholic Faith. Who wants to hear some dry academic say that the gnostic gospels are a boring falsehood? Let the news shows go on about The Da Vinci Code as if it is something besides baseless second-rate twaddle. For Catholic Faith is not merely exotic (and therefore good television) what with all those smells and bells, it is also the enemy of sensationalism. The MSM therefore gets a twofer whenever it bashes the Faith: 1) it helps to keep people ignorant of ways of thinking that might jeopardize its grip on how we process information and 2) it helps to sell beer and shampoo.” 

— Mark Shea, seeing the nail’s head, and hitting it. 

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