To the People Who Live in Darkness

The battle to shape and control people’s minds is waged aggressively and forcefully by elites. Big bucks go toward molding the consciousness of working people. Antonio Gramsci, the great Italian Marxist and an influence on Michael Parenti, advocated for what he called “organic intellectuals,” i.e., a well-educated cadre who connects their knowledge with people and popular organizations. Parenti exemplifies this approach. Convincing people as to what their genuine self-interests are is difficult, Parenti argues, because of sustained propaganda to divert their attention by getting them to look down at those who are worse off, and blame them, and away from the ruling class, their real oppressors. How to break through and get to the people who live in darkness? Parenti says, through “dialogue, debate, transparency and democracy.”