We are seeing incidents through an Internet lens that forces us to lose perspective on how big, or how significant they are. To make up an example; A black man complains, rightly or wrongly, we can’t tell, about racism. The piece is 1500 words long and contains a dozen unrelated and unverified incidents of alleged racism. Next up is a 2500 word article about the “thousands” of transsexuals in the military and how they are discriminated against. Neither of these contain any wider perspective. When I studied how the media was supposed to function in seventh grade we were told that they would quantify the facts in relation to how they fit in a wider world. I see none of that today. Next up comes an 800 word piece about the crash of an Airbus. The piece moves sideways into a design fault with no word on whether the fault may have already been fixed. The implication is that all Airbus planes have this fault.
Most likely, none of these (fiction) articles, if real, would have any impact on our lives. But they color the way we see the world and the color is dark. This is because negative articles sell. You would be hard pressed to find articles about how somebody stopped and helped a woman in distress or prevented a robbery or saved a baby from drowning. They just don’t sell; but they would improve the way we see the world.
Here’s a bit of advice. Put down the mouse. Step away from the mouse. Go mow the lawn. Talk to your neighbor. Pet the cat. You’ll feel better for it.
My mother is elderly and basically a shut-in. She has allowed herself to become a hostage to the 24/7 assault against Trump by the CNNs of the world. She literally thinks the world is coming apart at the seams due to the sensationalism of the establishment media in their quest to neutralize the presidency of Donald Trump at all costs.
She knows I work in New York City and imagines that I spend my day ducking hordes of anti-Trump protesters that are out for my scalp. I try to tell her that out in the world, life is going on much as before. I have to look really hard - even in New York City - to find any dissent at all. My biggest challenge is what to get for lunch - so many choices!
The power of the Internet and 24/7 media on many channels would make it seem that Donald Trump is making the world come apart at the seams. Absolute rubbish and nonsense. Those who feel that way need to shut their computers and TVs down and come out into the fresh air. If any of you are in NYC and are feeling down, Freepmail me and I'll buy you a cup of coffee at the Gregory's that just opened up in my building.