Citations Needed Ep 232: US Meddling, the Limits of 'Agency' Discourse and How Media Chooses Which 'Voices' To Center
Dec 10, 2025
Vincent Bevins, a journalist and author known for his incisive work on U.S. interventions, joins the conversation about the media's role in promoting narratives that legitimize foreign meddling. He critiques how liberal standpoint theory is misused to justify actions in places like Iraq and Bolivia, emphasizing the selective amplification of certain voices. Bevins argues for a more nuanced approach to journalism, calling for the inclusion of diverse perspectives to tell fuller truths about geopolitical events and their complexities.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
The Manufactured 'Voice Of The People'
- US media frequently weaponizes a vague "voice of the people" to justify intervention and align with US security interests.
- This platonic voice is often created from cherry-picked protests, exile groups, or "vibes," not robust polling.
Vietnam 'Voice' Example From 1970s
- Adam and Nima recount how the New York Times uncritically presented a South Vietnamese vice president as "the voice of the Vietnamese people."
- That portrayal matched U.S. interests and ignored other Vietnamese voices.
Iraq Coverage Conflated Opposition With Support For Invasion
- Pre-invasion Iraq coverage amplified minority anti-Saddam voices as representative of all Iraqis to promote war.
- Many Iraqis opposed both Saddam and a U.S. invasion, but media conflated those positions.
