Media is personal. It is a series of blood scores. The media in its often collective mind decides who is going to rise and who is going to fall, who lives and who dies. If you stay around long enough in the media eye, your fate, like that of a banana republic despot, is often an unkind one-a law Hillary Clinton was not able to circumvent. The media has the last word.
The quote underscores the deeply personal nature of media influence, highlighting its power to shape individual destinies. It suggests that the media functions almost like a living entity, collectively deciding who gains prominence and who faces downfall. This idea conveys the unpredictability of public perception and how it can dramatically alter one’s reality, often for the worse, much like the fates of authoritarian leaders in unstable countries.
The reference to Hillary Clinton illustrates that even prominent figures are not immune to the media's judgment. No matter how strategically one navigates the landscape, the media ultimately holds significant sway over narratives. As highlighted in Michael Wolff's "Fire and Fury," this dynamic reveals that the media can dictate outcomes, making it a powerful player in the realm of public life.