The Parable of the Shadow Speaker

One day while teaching, Josh was asked, ”Teacher, how does a government navigate the border between propaganda and spin in the new age of instant multimedia consumption?”

Josh spoke thus:

There was a public square designated for public speaking.  All opinions were welcome, the government decreed.  No opinions were unwelcome.

A young radical was standing on a chair.  Beside the young radical’s chair was the chair of the young radical’s shadow speaker.

Scattered around the square were other speakers standing on chairs.  Beside each speaker was a shadow speaker, on a shadow speaker’s chair.

“The new trains are hazardous,” the young radical was shouting at a small crowd.  The young radical was speaking more loudly than was needed for the small crowd to hear.  The other speakers shouted also, each speaking louder than was needed for each of their small crowds.

“The new trains are exemplars of technological advancement,” the young radical’s shadow speaker declared.  The young radical’s shadow speaker shouted marginally louder than had the young radical.

“Just last week, a new train jumped the track and crashed into a local village,” the young radical shouted, “Many people were injured.”

“The new trains have shortened travel times across the nation,” the young radical’s shadow speaker shouted, “The new trains promise more efficient commerce.”

“My uncle broke his arm in the accident,” the young radical shouted.

“Men’s arms will be less likely to break with the creation of the new train network,” the young radical’s shadow speaker shouted, “With more efficient commerce will come better nutrition.”

The young radical turned to the young radical’s shadow speaker and whispered, “That’s ridiculous, you know that’s ridiculous.”

“It may not be ridiculous,” the young radical’s shadow speaker whispered back, “But you don’t know that it’s not true.”

“It’s irrelevant to my argument,” the young radical said.

“Your argument’s irrelevant,” the young radical’s shadow speaker said.  The young radical’s shadow speaker shooed back the crowd.  The crowd was curious to hear this personal exchange.

“They’re more interested in our bickering than our exchange of ideas,” the young radical complained to the young radical’s shadow speaker.

“Our exchange won’t change anything,” the young radical’s shadows speaker said, “And we’ll both be shot anyway.”

“I know I’ll be shot,” the young radical said, “But why you?  The government put you here.”

“Because by answering you, I acknowledge what you’ve said,” the young radical’s shadow speaker said.

“Even though you contradicted me?” the young radical said, “Then why do it?”

The young radical’s shadow speaker replied, “A train just derailed and crashed into a village, for God’s sake.  Somebody has to be told.”