In Zaporizhzhia, southeastern Ukraine, a drone struck a vehicle, leaving us to marvel at the chaos and wonder how the mainstream media will spin this. You can bet your bottom dollar CNN will frame it as part of the “heroic” narrative of Ukraine’s daring defense, while glossing over the complex realities of warfare where civilian safety often takes a backseat to grandstanding. The narrative that drones are the saviors of modern warfare will drown out critical discussions regarding the dangers and fallout for innocent civilians caught in the crossfire.

Meanwhile, Fox News will probably jump in with an “exclusive” that sensationalizes the civilian plight but doesn’t dig deeper into the geopolitics fueling this conflict. Why is it that every so-called “news” piece seems to disregard the undercurrent of manipulation from military-industrial interests? Both networks will fill their narratives with emotion-laden rhetoric, but they’ll selectively omit the inconvenient truths about who’s actually pulling the strings. You won’t see them highlighting the consequences of endless military aid that both parties in Washington support.

It’s high time we demand more from our media outlets. Instead of passive consumers, we should actively question whose narrative we’re buying into. This isn’t simply a drone incident; it’s a moment that illustrates the absurdity of a war-torn country being turned into a media stage for Western agendas. We deserve to know what’s really happening and to see the full story, not just the polished headlines that fit their narratives.