Rupert Murdoch, friend of Roy Cohn and his protégé, the previous occupant of the White House, lost big in court two days ago to the tune of $787.5 million. And more than that—the truth came out of how duplicitous he and his employees were for years while supporting a certain president and his very big Lie that tore at the fabric of American democracy.
One wonders if, at age 92, Murdoch has learned anything about shame from that loss.
Shame has to do with failure to do what is right and not doing what is injurious to others. Or to oneself. It seems not just people but corporations can be completely lacking in shame.
My concern with this court decision is this: How is it that a corporation can receive ¾ of a billion dollars for being lied about and lied to, but citizens who have suffered grave consequences for these same deliberate media lies—including the desecration of the nation’s capitol, murderous attacks on capitol police, attempted attacks on legislators, and above all the disintegration of democracy in America—don’t get a penny?
Is our government not capable of suing a media company that sells Big Lies to make money and gain power and win elections? If not, why not?
Has capitalism come to this in our time? That it feels emboldened to tell any lie, spread any virus, hide behind mass hypocrisy, in the name of a bottom-line fetish, and pay no consequences? (Because it owns politicians and courts.)
The same holds for the refusal to pass basic gun control legislation. Power and money are patently more important to some than lives of innocent children in schools, worshippers in houses of worship, or customers in stores who are being gunned down daily.
Shame is missing when conscience is missing and idols of money and power trump the common good.
A healthy person, when they offend others, feels some shame. Those who do not are close to being sociopaths. People who kill with impunity and feel no guilt or shame are considered to be profoundly sick. And corporations too?
Media corporations which claim to bring information to the public and instead peddle lies and throw truth out the window–Does anyone feel the shame?
Murdoch and Company, I am asking you. Do you feel any shame?
See Matthew Fox, The Hidden Spirituality of Men: Ten Metaphors to Awaken the Sacred Masculine, pp. 51-57; 285-294.
And Fox, Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society.
To read the transcript of Matthew Fox’s video teaching, click HERE.
Banner Image: Scenes from anti-Trump pro-Democracy protests in Washington DC on November 4, 2020. Photo by Geoff Livingston on Flickr.
Queries for Contemplation
Should American citizens sue Fox “News” too for the injuries done our democracy that are traceable to their lies and hypocrisy?
Recommended Reading
The Hidden Spirituality of Men: Ten Metaphors to Awaken the Sacred Masculine
To awaken what Fox calls “the sacred masculine,” he unearths ten metaphors, or archetypes, ranging from the Green Man, an ancient pagan symbol of our fundamental relationship with nature, to the Spiritual Warrior….These timeless archetypes can inspire men to pursue their higher calling to connect to their deepest selves and to reinvent the world.
“Every man on this planet should read this book — not to mention every woman who wants to understand the struggles, often unconscious, that shape the men they know.” — Rabbi Michael Lerner, author of The Left Hand of God
Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society
Visionary theologian and best-selling author Matthew Fox offers a new theology of evil that fundamentally changes the traditional perception of good and evil and points the way to a more enlightened treatment of ourselves, one another, and all of nature. In comparing the Eastern tradition of the 7 chakras to the Western tradition of the 7 capital sins, Fox allows us to think creatively about our capacity for personal and institutional evil and what we can do about them.
“A scholarly masterpiece embodying a better vision and depth of perception far beyond the grasp of any one single science. A breath-taking analysis.” — Diarmuid O’Murchu, author of Quantum Theology: Spiritual Implications of the New Physics
13 thoughts on “Rupert Murdoch, Fox “News” and Lack of Shame”
Maybe ‘the Physician’ needs to treat the patients suffering from ‘hate porn’ that watch both Fox and CNN. There are a large number of those patients both on the ‘right’ and on the ‘left’. – BB.
Thank you, Bill, for the reminder.
Sadly, we do not have a democracy, we have an oligarchy within a patriarchy. And its power lies in being rewarded by being “one up” (better than) so that those chosen few in it do not have FEEL “not being good enough.” Because this culture is so afraid of death, it is he who dies with the most “toys” i.e. objects, wins. In this type of culture a person treats everything and everyone as objects—including themselves! Their prophet is profit. Shaming their god only entrenches this behavior and the powerful elite will reject your shame vehemently and put the blame elsewhere. They will never feel shame. They can’t “afford” to. Murdoch & Co. are running as fast as they can away from shame–and so they should. Shaming is not the way to deal with this. If you want to disarm shame you have to put the “powerful” person in touch with who he really is. He is not an object but a person who can be vulnerable and loving and open. Patriarchy and how it defines power belittles men who do this. We all pay a heavy “price” for this. Shame is not the way….You have to meet people where they are…even if they are acting out for you like the devil…
Thank you, Lee, for your thoughtful comment.
Attempting to hold large corporations and their leaders accountable and responsible for unjust choices and actions, through legal means that results in major financial fines and public shaming, through truth-telling… rarely results in any remorse or change of behavior within its leaders, or their corporations operations of business. These ones have the means to pay the fines and these one’s also don’t care at all what others think about themselves. These ones simply find more cunning avenues, to continue in their corrupt and unjust ways. The old saying, “You can’t change a leopards spots,” comes to mind.
However, that doesn’t mean humanity shouldn’t continue to pursue seeking justice, exposing lies with truth-telling and holding people accountable and responsible for their choice of actions. These are important virtues of value to pursue, regardless of the often disheartening outcomes.
Love, compassion, mercy and justice… never gives up, never gives in… for it remains ever steadfast and persevering… enduring much. We may not see the gains and changes we expect through this continuous pursuit in our lifetimes, however our hope lies within the potential future of the next generation, to carry this forward… to faithfully manifest the unfolding, evolving, emergence and convergence with this vision of what’s possible; through the transforming power of love, compassion, mercy and justice.
Choosing to do so now, we mentor those whom come after us!
Thoughtful reflection on human potential and human possible!
In answer to your question Matthew at the end of your DM, YES, DEFINITELY!!!
I was wondering Matthew, if you’ve read Bernie Sanders recent book, “It’s OK To Be Angry at Capitalism!” (2023)? I haven’t, but I ‘m sure you will agree with most of what Bernie has to say about the shadow side of Capitalism, not only in the US, but in other Western countries that contribute to many social and eco injustices, destruction, and suffering to humanity around the world, including to our sacred Mother Earth and all living species. Our tragic human history of the toxic, racist, destructive effects of unbalanced, egocentric, sinful patriarchal values continue in our modern social life and most institutions, including religious ones. Fortunately, more healthy wholistic spiritual values and our Loving Wisdom Truthful Spirit are kept Alive by genuine spiritual traditions, Indigenous peoples, and individuals living and acting compassionately from their True Heart Selves~Sacred Eternal Souls~Cosmic Consciousness within God’s ongoing co-Creative~Incarnating~Evolving Spirit of Loving Diverse Oneness in our sacred multidimensional-multiverse Cosmos…
🔥🌎💜🙏
Thank you for your comment, Damien.
Great idea for citizens to sue Fox! How might it be accomplished? The legal system seems caught up in its own rules that it hasn’t yet been able to sue the former guy.
Corporations have no conscience and therefore no shame. They are not conscious beings. They are shields to protect the wealthy. And I think we are finding that Government is no different. Government is without consciousness. This is not fixable. It is an innate characteristic human organizations. So we are left with removing the log from our own eyes and reacting to the world in the most conscientious and ethical ways that we can. We cannot remove the forests that are in bedded in the eyes of institutional, corporate, and governmental institutions.
Institutions of collective human power are ultimately only means to power. They attract only those who are striving after power and only the most ruthless will achieve that power. Jesus held no position of authority in any political institution. We all should follow his example.
Hmmmmm, Dana. Thank you for your final thought, “Jesus held no position of authority in any political institution.”
All we can do is speak the truth to power in the way that we live and in actions that embody peace, and love, mercy, and justice. The great Sermon on the Mount, and the wisdom in the Hebrew scriptures, point us toward being with and helping “the least of these”. This is counter to patriarchy and toxic capitalism, of course. We should not be surprised at the powerful reactions against these values. Rupert Murdoch and others like him have no shame, nor do they value anything but money and power. The amount of the settlement is peanuts to him, especially since a good part of it may be covered by insurance. Sociopaths have no genuine feelings at all, although they can pretend very well. Shame is wasted on them, as others have pointed out. They are proud of winning, at any cost. I am waiting for the “spin” that Fox puts on this, because there surely will be one, and it probably goes along the lines of the liberal conspiracy against the truth, etc.
It would be lovely for enough Americans who value democracy to stand up in a lawsuit, or even to vote. It is disheartening to find out that here in Florida a lot of Democrats simply did not vote. So, add apathy to the active and effective efforts to suppress voting, and you have the autocracy alive and well–and growing in Florida and around the country.
HI Sue, Thank you for enlarging the picture of your final paragraph.