I think there is a false-dichotomy presented here.. a choice is not "believe big govt (mine) versus big govt (theirs)" to be contrarian. There is another avenue and that is to listen to your own sense of right and wrong, up to and including questioning the authority of your own govt, of "their" govt, giving voice to the voiceless like minority social elements, the elderly, the agrarian, the less-educated locals with cultural affinity, religious voices.. etc.

The media products of mass mobilized military societies have some similarity with each other, when viewed this way, despite being "at war".