Or, why Television sucks at politics
I was watching MSNBC just a few minutes ago and I noticed something that really pisses me off. They had Pat Buchannon (I know little about him, ergo, nothing wrong there) and some liberal guy whose name escapes me.
Anyways, they were on for three or four minutes, with about only one minute devoted to each subject. Now, what really concerns me is the lack of nuance in the debate. I knew ole Pat is a Republican, so I almost could anticipate his responses, and to show that the show is "fair," I knew that the lib. would take the contrary position. It was so mind-numbly predictiable (although Pat made an excellent point about Constitutional Law) that I have severe problems with watching the tele for news. This polemics in politics is so mind-numbly dumbassed that I almost refuse to pay attention to politics.
In other words, shame on the media for making politics into sound bites. The "experts" are usually little more than idealogues, touting their agendas openly, yet the media provides them as "unbiased and objective" observers. Sigh, it may be modern societies dependence on "experts" that really cranks my chain. It's not like I cannot think for myself, rather than listen to some nitwit telling me how to think, what to buy, or who to vote for. Sometimes, I wish I were American and vote for Bush, just to piss off Hollywood.
And I do not see the grip that big media has on our daily lives loosening. Now, no matter how much I would like to think that people can see past the media's illusions, sadly that is not the case. Everyone is blinded by it. Except yours truely, of course.
Although I have not studied Catholic Social Teaching regarding the Media, I do know who the patron saint is: St. Maximillion Kolbe, a matyr in WWII. I am interested in possibly pursuing a career in journalism (oh the irony) so studing the CTS may be of immense benefit. But anyways: Pray for us, St. Maximillion Kolbe, to use the media prudently and to use it to spread the truth and love of the Gospels, unto all the Earth.
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