Do you know - I'm heartily sick of the News. I was listening to Radio 2 this morning to Terry's show and at 8.30 for about 2 and a half minutes the world was plunged into a nightmare full of perverts who keep their children prisoner, teenage murderers, slimy politicians, illegal wars, petrol shortages, rampant inflation and pessimistic outlooks for our awful futures. You know - the usual stuff. The miserable political spin and Fleet Street sensationalism that daily chips away at any optimism you might naturally have. I know there's a lot of crap happening in the world but I'm utterly sure that there's a hell of a lot more good stuff happening out there than bad. Constantly hyping tragedy and thuggery does not, in fact, shock and disturb us as is it's intention. It normalises it. And that in itself is shocking. It's not that I think that we should ignore injustices. Not at all. My problem is that News Media skew the image of the world so that it appears to be a thoroughly awful, hopeless place. I refuse to believe that's the case. Every day I see good people helping each other, caring about their communities, their environment and the planet at large. Most people I know help people who maybe aren't as fortunate. There's so much kindness and goodwill around and this world we live in is, on balance, still a great place. I'm sick of my energy being drained out of me by endless News Misery and speculation as to how much worse it can get. I'm choosing to only give my attention to improving the world and bigging up all the great people out there who make it a better place.
It's a question of perspective.
And funnily enough it wasn't all the awful news that I heard today that pissed me off so much as the tag on at the end that was supposed to be the bright and shiny bit that sent you off on your way with a spring in your step.
I'll have to paraphrase here but essentially what they were saying is that Australian Scientists are very close to inventing a pill that will speed up your metabolism and allow you to over-eat with impunity. Apparently it works by removing "angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)". They are, of course, dressing it up as a medication to help with metabolic disorders and diabetes prevention. But one might suspect (if you're cynical like me) that the drug companies didn't fund this kind if research to help a minority with an actual disorder. The marketing potential in Westernized, obese, sedentary societies must be huge! Their lab mice are apparently stuffing their faces and staying slim. Kerching! This is supposed to give us overweight westerners hope for a healthier future.
I'm overweight. I could do with losing a good 30lbs. And I know how I can do it.
Eat less. Move more.
Apparently there's a world-wide food shortage. Instead of pouring huge resources into solving this we're working out how to let the fat over-eat without consequence. And this was the good news today. Well here's what I think......
There are always consequences.
And one of the consequences for having a celebrity-obsessed, negative, sensationalist, unbalanced, biased media is that our beautiful world is diminished and tarnished so that we no longer value it. And worse than that the true injustices that might light a fire in our bellies and make us reach out to our fellow man in need are ignored for better ratings.
Earth is beautiful. The vast majority of people who inhabit it are decent and good. Celebrate that.
Mr Murdoch and his negative hoard no longer command my attention. The lady who lives two doors up who looks in on all the elderly people around and just looks out for her neighbours is my Hero of the Day.
12 comments:
I wish the news was truly news. Things people should know. All of the mayhem being covered is more like a dark form of entertainment. For example, I knew a family when I was growing up that talked about car accidents at the dinner table. I mean passionately. I don't see any point in that except basking in the sensationalism.
But Jane, don't hold back. Tell us how you really feel.
Sometimes I feel guilty about not paying more attention to the news. Then I read/watch/listen to some, and the feeling goes away.
Worst, much of the "news" is simply repackaged stuff fed to reporters. I read, for example, about a "study" that showed online donations to nonprofits were up. Surprise, surprise, the "study" was done by a vendor who sells technology to nonprofits, and they polled... their own customers. And it was reported as news.
This overwhelming depressing news trend is why I decided to write the uplifting Unlucky 26.
By the way, I meant to agree also with your sentiment that there are, on balance, more people who care and help in the world than people who don't. Nonprofit giving does indeed tend to go up in hard times, as does volunteerism. And, more and more, we're seeing corporations take notice of the need to be good citizens. Some of it is cynical PR, of course, but a lot of it is genuine. Corporations are, after all, run by people, and people make the moral decisions.
I think that pill sounds scary. Should we really be messing with nature that much?
I'm with you. I'm always looking for the silver lining. Yes, there are bad things in the world that shouldn't be ignored, but equally all that is good should be celebrated.
Jason - I agree with you that it seems to be a perverse form of entertainment. I just think it serves no good purpose to have it drip fed constantly into our lives. I feel its effect is corrosive to our well-being. I think that since the advent of 24 hour news we can all agree that it has dumbed down somewhat.
Pete - what would be the point of a rant if I didn't.. well ... rant!?
I only do it once in a while so I like to make them count. LOL!
I think that a healthy dose of cynicism is required when presented by 'facts' these days. One of the next rants I might do is about how research is funded..... hmmmm maybe this could be a regular slot.
Barrie - with you 100% - I'm sure not letting some enzyme inhibitor mess with my curves! But I guess there are a lot of desperate people out there who would go for the 'quick fix'.
Sher - optimists of the world unite! I think we should spread our positivity and make the world a happier place :)
you go girl....i agree with everything you said! as you know i am one of lifes true optimists, not a lot gets me down.....but omg the news at the moment is awful! we need to know these things, but just the facts not the sensationalised rubbish that we are constantly bombarded with!
and we dont need a pill to help us lose weight do we Jane......??? if i can darling, you can too....xxxxx
Okay, Janey, my meme is up. With a link, of course, to the lovely you. :)
Thanks Liz! You are a rock of good sense as always and I will follow your inspirational lead ... soon!
Barrie - thanks for doing that! It was fun to read. I'm so glad I'm not the only person who hates dealing with mail!
Rant rant rant away! I love it! And I completely agree with you. I hate watching the news. They exploit trash and tragedy.
This is why I love the internet. I can get the news that I want (such as weather, traffic report if I need to drive somewhere, and keep up on the latest scientific discoveries) without being subjected to the perverse entertainment of personal tragedies and mass mayhem.
Every word of this rang true for me.
The "news" just does not jibe with the world that I experience . . . and thank goodness for that. I also agree that listening to the news can make one feel despondent -- hardly a helpful attitude.
BTW, I was blog-jumping and happened on you. "Whittering" is one of my favorite "English-specific" words . . . but you are awfully self-deprecating, because you've got nothing but good stuff here.
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