Introduction
America s media managers create， process， refine， and preside
over tim circulation of images and information which determine
our beliefs and attitudes and， ultimately， our behavior. Vhen
they deliberately produce messages that do not correspond to the
realities of social existence， the media managers become mind
managers. Messages that intentionally create a false sense of
reality and produce a consciousness that cannot comprehend or
wilfully rejects the actual conditions of life， personal or social，
are manipulative messages.
Manipulation of human minds， according to Paulo Freire， \"is
an instrument of conquest.\" It is one of the means by which
~ \"the dominant elites try to conform the masses to their objec-
tives. 1 By using myths which explain， justify and sometimes
even glamorize the prevailing conditions of existence， manipu-
lators secure popular support for a social order that is not in the
majority s long-term real interest. ~qmn manipulation is success-
ful， alternative social arrangements remain unconsidered.
Manipulation is not the initial means adopted by ruling elites
to maintain social control. As Freire points out， it is only \"when
the people begin (even naively) to emerge from the historical
process\" that the rulers resort to manipulation. \"Prior to emer-
gence of the people there is no manipulation (precisely speak-
ing)， but rather total suppression. ~qren the oppressed are
almost completely submerged in reality， it is unnecessary to
manipulate them.\"2
Suppression--tire total restraint and subjection of the individ-
ual-has not been limited to any single geographical or political
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