Sunday, June 17, 2012

Streaming Unconsciousness

Got myself into a small (very small) difficulty in Twitter awhile ago. It was because people take their tweets (and themselves) too seriously. Giving the benefit of the doubt, the person who hasn't a sense of humor about what I said is a frequent target of trolls so it may be that he thought I was arguing with him.

The gist of his tweet was that today's journalists have descended to spoon feeding us their opinions rather than the news. To which I responded: "But they're just trying to make sure we draw the RIGHT conclusion. :D" Right as in side not as in correct. He didn't say much but someone else chose to "school" me in how my goal should be to have the journalists presenting me with the "correct conclusions". In the interest of not wanting to make a flame war happen, I didn't respond in kind. I didn't say it, but I did wonder why someone else needs to tell me what "conclusion" I should draw? Isn't that pretty much what the media is doing now?

We don't have journalism any more, we have Punditry. That didn't happen because the broadcasting companies decided it was cheaper to have pundits on air rather than journalists, it happened because we CHOSE it. OMG, there I go again trying to make US accept responsibility for our share of fault for the very issues we constantly complain about.

The programs that these pundits host appear on cable news stations because we watch them. It's our viewership that drives the ratings and therefore the amount of money the station can charge it's advertisers. Thanks to the internet, John Q. Public has a voice. We praise and adore those pundits we agree with and are vocal in our support on whatever social media we choose to use. This praise and adoration is picked up by like minded individuals and they too add to the ratings by changing their channel to the one that produces the only "news" they agree with. And that's where my problem starts, we don't want to hear anything but validation of our own opinions. Which is what cable news networks are aware of. Hello Fox News, and to a slightly lesser extent, CNN and MSNBC.

All of those channels filter out what they know their viewers don't wish to hear. We are no longer allowed access to both sides of an issue which would provide us with the ability to make informed decisions and draw better conclusions. We, by our support of certain pundits over others, created this mess. It's not going to change until we wake up from our pundit induced comas and start opening our eyes and our minds to a wider diversity of thought.







10 comments:

  1. I don't watch pundits anymore, and very 'little' cable/network news. It's just not worth it. About all I have control of is my little spere of things - the other junk is going to happen anyway - so I'm not going to really worry about it too much. Kind of like the old Texan told me after Obama had been elected (when I asked the old Texan how it felt to have a black President) - what he said - was - 'well I've been screwed by white Presidents for a long time - I might as well get screwed by a black one.'

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    1. Now that's pragmatism right there. I'm actually a lot more comfortable with Pres. Obama than I am with any of the GOP as they are right now.

      I don't watch any cable news networks at all anymore. They contribute to this my way or the highway method of attempted governance. I'm sick of it and would love to smash heads together to see what finally shakes out.

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    2. I'm with you (on being more comfortable with Obama than any of the GOP) which is kinda scary in it's own right - but - the Pres and his party seem to be the only ones standing in defense (although tepid) of the GOP's assault on the 'less affluent Americans.'

      ice

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    3. Ice, I'm thinking Pres. Obama's refusal to come out with the gloves off may have something to do with the fear that many Americans have of people of color. The general complaint is that he's not pushing the "Progressive Agenda" hard enough, and I keep hearing how the "people want", only not all the people are Progressive, and as President he has to represent us all.

      If he came out as Angry Black Man, I'd be a whole lot less scared of him than I am of the current attitude of the GOP. They're outright crazy and my God, they're elected into office.

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  2. The media people all get paid to take a certain position and forget honest reporting.
    I don't what you see in Twitter anyway. btw

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    1. Probably so, and if we would not watch them and provide the high ratings for their programs, the media would have to make changes.

      I follow people in Twitter that are interested in the same things I am. Then I don't spend my time sitting in front of a computer keeping up with what I want to know. All I need to do is check my feed, and read the pertinent links. I do spend a bit more time there on weekends chatting with the ladies I've gotten friendly with. It has helped me curtail my computer time and spend more time taking care of myself IRL.

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  3. Sherry...Your twitter was truly comical but so true.
    Its not news anymore..its entertainment with an agenda.
    We are a world of 'reality television. Which is given to us in the same way news is given..oit of context. How many times have trailers for movies been awesome and the movie..not so much. Becsuse we are being sold something all the time.
    Steve Martin has a book of twitter quotes. He is offensive and hilarious. In other words he can get away with stuff we can't!

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    1. Twitter can be funny, but if you put your foot wrong, it can be a mess of trolls and arguments. Some people seem to be replacing what they feel they don't have IRL with schoolyard online popularity. It's easier to stay away from them in Twitter than many other places because I know where the block button is. I don't argue anymore, if they jump down my throat, I just block them.

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  4. You can't blame the news programs (owned by special interest): Americans are so poorly educated that they are open to believe anything. That is why we continue to elect the same people over and over even though they continually legislate contrary to our best interest. People seek political parties, clubs, churches and organizations to tell them what to believe and how to behave. (and they believe reality shows are reality - I rest my point.)

    the Ol'Buzzard

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  5. The problem with presenting both sides of an issue so that viewers can form intelligent opinions is that there is a perceived need to provide a false equivalency between viewpoints. For example, CNN might want to do a story about a batshit crazy birther in Arizona, but then has to placate the right by bringing up actual doubts about the President's place of birth and eligibility for office. There are some stories they cover that don't require "equal time", and journalists like Edward R. Murrow knew which side of an issue deserved coverage and which side was total unvarnished BS.
    Now the networks draw viewers by pandering to the version of every story that will please their targeted demographic, and they neglect to let pesky ol' facts get in the way of their spin.
    And like the person said earlier, I have no idea why anyone would want to have Twitter in their life.

    Or Facebook, for that matter.

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