Quote by Soren Kierkegaard, The Present A

The Media is an abstraction (because a newspaper is not concrete and only in an abstract sense can be considered an individual), which in association with the passionlessness and reflection of the times creates that abstract phantom, the public, which is the actual leveler. . . . More and more individuals will, because of their indolent bloodlessness, aspire to become nothing, in order to become the public, this abstract whole, which forms in this ridiculous manner: the public comes into existence because all its participants become third parties. This lazy mass, which understands nothing and does nothing, this public gallery seeks some distraction, and soon gives itself over to the idea that everything which someone does, or achieves, has been done to provide the public something to gossip about. . . . The public has a dog for its amusement. That dog is the Media. If there is someone better than the public, someone who distinguishes himself, the public sets the dog on him and all the amusement begins. This biting dog tears up his coat-tails, and takes all sort of vulgar liberties with his leg--until the public bores of it all and calls the dog off. That is how the public levels.

Summary

This quote by philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche criticizes the role of the media and its influence on society. Nietzsche argues that the media is an abstract concept and, in conjunction with the impassivity of the times, creates an equally abstract entity called the public. He suggests that the public is a leveling force, where individuals aspire to become part of the nameless, indolent mass that seeks mere distractions and gossip. In this analogy, Nietzsche compares the public to a dog and the media as its tool, biting and tearing apart anyone who stands out or achieves greatness until the public grows tired and moves on.