Original title: NOVAK DJOKOVIC: THE WORLD IS RULED BY AN ELITE WHO WANTS EVERYONE TO LISTEN TO IT BLINDLY!
The portal Sloboden Svet published an article titled NOVAK DJOKOVIC: THE WORLD IS RULED BY AN ELITE WHO WANTS EVERYONE TO LISTEN TO IT BLINDLY! The content of the article is derived from an interview with Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic in the podcast on the Sportklub platform, in which the best tennis player in the world expressed his opinion on some social topics. The author of the text points out that Novak Djokovic, mostly for the Serbian media, makes various statements that often have nothing to do with the sport itself. He talks about the coronavirus vaccine, and it is becoming increasingly common to hear him presenting other conspiracy theories in public, or his opinions on subjects from the field. It further continues with part of the interview where he answers about his role as an influencer, i.e. how he uses his social networks platforms for topics other than sports.The link to the original article can be found here.
The text published by the portal Sloboden Svet is a classic spin. Throughout the entire interview, Djokovic nowhere mentions that “the world is ruled by an elite that wants everyone to listen to it blindly.”
Namely, he talks about the attitudes he shares on social networks, which cause numerous reactions, about the responsibility he has as the best in the sport he plays, his diet, routines before the matches, and about the commentators he listens to.
According to his answers, the most important topics for him besides sports are health (nutrition, physical and mental health) and education. Considering how far and fast his views on social networks spread on all social media and knowing that there are positive and negative comments and reactions, he points out that all those criticisms and condemnations affect him, especially those according to which he allegedly uses the platform to spread pseudo-education and negative information that could further affect human health.
He uses the platforms to express his opinions and views and to share experiences and examples that might be useful to someone. He does not attack anyone, does not condemn, but in those conversations, his goal is to put himself in the role of a host and to pose questions to people who are experts in the field of the topic. He is aware that it will not satisfy all interests and that is not his goal, but to convey an experience of how something has affected him, his environment, his performances and his successes. He cannot influence how people will receive it. But he emphasizes that he always starts from his own personal experience.
The part of the interview from which the title is derived allegedly as a conclusion from Djokovic’s answer is the following (starting at 25:45).
Namely, according to the journalist conducting the interview, Djokovic, as a top athlete, has a responsibility to think, reconsider and then say the words, and still, they wouldn’t be good enough because there is an army of people or bots that are literally paid to attack him, be it on social media or among the journalists who have ambitions and orders to do so.
Djokovic responds that one should have a responsibility and he is aware of how it resonates and spreads far and what is the impact of the very information. He says he is not infallible, “but I am a human, I have no problem saying I was wrong. But that’s the person I am, I can’t be a robot and be locked up in a shell, in a bubble, for the rest of my life.” However, he does not criticize those who want to be on the sidelines and not deal with social issues, but he wants to share his experience, but how it will be accepted by the public, that he can’t affect.
“Some groups of people, the elite, the rulers, call them whatever you want, they want certain things to be in a certain way and no one to say anything, but just obey the orders of those at the top. I just don’t feel it’s right and democratic. If I believe that something is right and in accordance with God’s commandments, living principles, and true values, then I absolutely support it. I support the fight for people’s rights to equality, respect, fair play, fairness in life, respect… These are the values I stand for and agree with” – said Djokovic.
It is very obvious from both what was written and from the interview that Djokovic nowhere mentions how the world is supposedly ruled by an elite that wants everyone to listen to it blindly. His statement is in the context that as a person he wants to express his opinion against another group of people (whatever they are called, the elite, the rulers) who want others to obey the orders of those at the top and no one to say anything.
This only confirms the opposite of what is claimed in the title. Djokovic himself points out that he always expresses his opinion, regardless of whether someone likes it or not. And of course, he is not prevented in doing so.
Everyone has the right to an opinion and to express their views. Freedom of speech is an inalienable right of every human being. But the problem arises when attempts are made to take things out of context and be misused to manipulate the public. In this case, a world-famous tennis player, a person with significant influence, is used for manipulating the public in order to impose distrust in the democracy and the institutions of the system.
This text is considered a spin, and the goal is to present the people as “blind followers of the ruling elite”, which is contrary to the basic values of the democracy in which we live.
