Andy Warhol once said that in the future everyone would be famous for fifteen minutes. That was before the internet. The fact is now everyone is famous for about fifteen seconds.
Art serves a purpose, to illuminate areas within the human condition, both good and ill. That notion has mutated into merely lighting an area, showing behavior. There is no illumination, as illumination would suggest an understanding or at the least an invitation to understanding. The human condition, when reduced to nothing more than mere recording of events without context, becomes an exercise in societal masturbation.
Assigning blame is mostly pointless, but in this case it underscores prior comments here in regards to the creation of a Police State in a formerly free and open society: we got what we asked for.
Writers of comedy have slowly been replaced by cameras focused on human beings in Skinner boxes; who needs context when the audience only wants to watch itself? People, when jammed together into tiny quarters and have behavioral options limited are nothing more than monkeys, and not very smart monkeys at that, but they are funny when slinging (verbal) excrement at one another. Mere vulgarity has replaced wit, and all that is required to "prove a point" is a snarky comeback.
Tragedy withered on the vine of gossip. The fall of kings is now nothing more than a Princess' auto accident. There is nothing to learn from circumstance, no growth of soul in the tabloids.
We did this. We allowed it by demanding more. It is so much easier to watch than read, easier to expel flatulence than wit, easier to gawp stupidly than to read. We did this.
Worse: we trained our children to do the same.
An informed populace is the strongest vanguard against tyranny, and the American populace may be many things but informed would not be one of them. We need Information, but In Formation. Factoids are not facts: an informed decision cannot be made from charting the fall of snowflakes.
One of the most important political events that happened in the United States was noted, underscored and commented upon, but apparently, no one caught the point: that event? The election results between George W. Bush and Albert Gore.
So much has been said that it may appear to be a pointless endeavor, but there were two salient points, one brought forth in the Micheal Moore film Fahrenheit 911, and the other (apparently) noticed by myself and damned few others.
The point Moore makes is shown in the U. S. Congressional Building. Over and again, Representatives are shown standing, demanding that the results be brought to a vote. Over and again, Moore makes the comment that all that would have been needed to bring that vote was one (mark that: ONE) Senator to agree to their call. Each time Moore shows that call, and each time Moore comments that only ONE senator was needed to allow a vote.... he cuts back to the President of the Senate, Albert Gore.... who does nothing.
Here, then, is an interesting thing: perhaps Senator Al Gore was acting in the best interests of the country rather than his own interests. (This would be reminiscent of the then Vice-President Nixon allowing the questionable count in Chicago to stand unchallenged.) That could be. The question Moore does NOT have the courage of his alleged convictions to ask is: there were 99 other Senators... did they not hear the call?
The other, more interesting point is the hew and cry about the alleged corruption of the Fox Network. All of the other networks, Moore shows, declared the race too close to call. Moore then shows Fox declaring Bush the winner. Ah ha! See? (say the ill-informed and intellectually suspect) See? Fox GAVE the election to Bush!! Foul! Foul!
Apparently, what is never seen, is the fact (sorry, too bad, get over it: FACT) that the other networks caved. They didn't say, Hmm... mayhap Fox is a tad premature, that the vote is just too close to call. No. What they did was bow to Fox and say, Fox has declared the winner.
The point, in case it is being missed, is this: the so-called professional journalists simply failed to do their job. They ignored their ethics and instincts and merely stood by and let someone call the vote over. Done, finit! Who needs to make follow up calls or ask questions?
Not the cowards at NBC. Not the cowards at PBS. Not the cowards at ABC. When I CBS, I know it for what it is....
This point is made not to return to that election for the pointless rage it causes the closed, stupid "minds" of the left or the right. It is made because: wait for it; drum roll....
We were there, we saw it happen and no one cried Bullshit!
We, the people of the United States just watched. We had already become so used to being fed a steady diet of crap that we, the people, did nothing. Moore showed us a small, angry group that tried, and nothing came of it, nothing was done.
Yet, still, there are those blind and foolish enough to feel that one party is better than another. Conspiracy? Doubtful. Mere laziness explains it so much better.
There is an old saw, a tale told in the basement of churches. If I boil a pot of water, and throw a frog into it, the frog will flee. If I put the frog in the pan and start to slowly heat the water, the frog will stay until it is boiled alive.
That point is no longer valid.
If I slaughter a monkey, and I train other monkeys to just watch and do nothing, they will eagerly come forward into the knife for their moment of glory. If the monkeys are inured to it long enough, even the most clever will fail to notice: the knife waits for them, too.
Think I overstate this? Am I serious?
The morning "news" programs are not part of the same news department that brings you the evening report, did you know that? They are ALL part of entertainment. NOT news. Watch them. Carefully. Take the time to note: what story is SO important, that it leads?
How many nations are currently at war? How is the economy faring?
Who won Dancing With The Stars? Who won (aptly named) American Idol? Who is sleeping with whom? Who is dating or breaking?
This is not news. It is Valium. Take a bottle full and wash it down with Busch Beer. Try to relax.
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