Thread by @timdunlop

The racist cartoon in the Oz today is indicative of a mindset that begins in general unaccountability and ends in provocation.
That is to say, once you are so attuned to ignoring or rejecting nearly all the criticism you receive, you inevitably end up baiting those...

...you sees as your critics. Also known as your audience.

Today's cartoon is an example of such baiting.
As were all those 'let old people die' articles that were around a while ago.
It is completely reflexive, and easily rationalised: "Criticism means we are fearless!"

In fact, such content is part of the stubborn refusal to accept criticism, let alone learn from mistakes, an approach that easily turns into an active hostility towards the audience, expressed through releasing content they know will offend.
It's about power.

It is a power play.
Such content, whether racist, otherwise provocative, or just stupid, is a way for them to show their audience that they are still in charge.
"See what we can do?" such content says. "Complain as much as you like, we still produce such things. Because we can."

No concern for the industry of which they are part.
No concern for the society of which they are part.
No concern for the duty inherent in any conception of a free press.
Just power expressed as a trolling of their audience.

As the industry continues to falter, expect this sort of professional trolling to get worse.
It is all they have left.

It is a form of bullying, at the end of day, and like most bullying, it expresses weakness, not power.
But in the meantime, we all suffer, and damage is done