Did you catch the all-star game?! 15 innings... incredible.
I'm not even a baseball fan, but, I guess it's really not about the baseball, is it? Is Baseball really what compelled 14.7 million people to watch till 1:37 am?
I have my doubts.
Isn't it really about the competition? Two sides competing with all they have to conquer the other. It's Human nature to want to be the best, or watch the best.
Just look at TV.
The last 10 years of television has been dominated by programs biased on competition. The struggle, the drama, the violence even. It's what we scream for: Conflict.
Is it any wonder then that the media outlets are breading grounds for drama?
Most make the argument that the media is biased politically. Some say toward the right, others toward the left.
False.
The media is biased... but toward conflict.
NBC, CNN, ABC, FOX, radio hosts like Sean Hannety, and Rush Limbaugh, watch or listen long enough to any of them and you'll find that each report, phrase, or rhetoric is used to to incite anger, disdain, or general hatred in one demographic toward a different group, action or demographic. To the media it's not about our or their opinion, or even what is right, but rather about the existence of an argument. Ratings, ratings, ratings. We crave conflict, and they bank on it.
Now, in the defense of the media outlets this is not a new problem. The media has focused on conflict for generations, and things have been worse. Through the early 20th century yellow journalism swept the nation, and newspapers everywhere published lies and filth for the sake of creating conflict. To them even artificial conflict was better than no conflict at all. However, with the creation of the FCC, and the introduction of government and industry regulation, the art of creating false conflict died; so they created a new toy to sell: political divisiveness.
No time in history has the media had such a broad influence and impact in our lives. technology has made sure of that. We cannot escape it today. Until recently the nation's political wounds had been closed and healing. The amount of split ticket votes hadn't been higher since the era of good feelings, but with the controversy of the last two elections, and the debates circling the war and many other polices of the current administration, the media has taken us in reverse. Their lust for controversy has born fruit. Division.
What was it Lincoln said? A house divided what?
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6 comments:
haha i thought the same thing. i really really hate baseball but i watched the all star game. not all 15 innings though, i came in at about the 9th inning. but i seriously couldnt wait for it to get over. its funny that they can go that long without scoring! haha great blog!
What I don't understand is, why do people in positions of influence use all their resources to promote this conflict and further divide the society they are insiting only they can repair? What happened to being proactive, to integrity? My way of thinking is too idealistic and naive for current politics, and it's clear integrity does nothing for ratings, but don't you think using that power to urge our country to a common goal would save us from the division we were warned of 200 years ago?
Anyway, I'll spare you anymore of my soapbox. Great blog. Thanks for making me think.
Here here to Specne for bringing this part of human nature to the front.
Like he has said conflict is part of human nature. It is what impassions us to do the things that we do in everyday life (Is impassions a word, I don't care I am going to use it any way). So,the media is going to manipulate it how they see fit.
The whole time I was reading the blog the only words that came to mind were "high school". Silly me I thought we left that behind when we graduated. But really all this presidental election is, is two football player who got in a fight after the game on friday night and now they are asking the cheerleaders to take sides and divid the cheer squad(The squad being the American people). So lets be smart cheerleaders and use the brains that God gave us (or who ever your higher power is) and make a good decition about how to handle the conflict. Because no time soon are we going to live in an idealistic world where everybody has the same thoughts, priorites and value system.
the media is influential because it delivers news, and human nature is curious. we do like to know what is going on.
i look at the drudge report everyday, and i look at jimmyr.com. these two sources couldn't be more different in content, tho their structure be the same.
that being said, i refuse to watch local news.
"think your doctor is lying to you about viagra? more at 10."
plbbb.
The media gives us what we ask for...because it sells. The world is changing. We, as a society are changing. Fifty years ago, we weren't asking for the same things from the media. Now we are. I realize that advances in technology have made additional media sources available. But the content has changed. The media has focused on violence, promiscuity, and as you suggest, conflict because that is what we ask for.
A wise man once said, "I will tell you what you are if you tell me what you think about when you don't have to think."
The media is what the world thinks about when it doesn't have to think. Does that scare anybody else?
This is so true! I love the news, but i can't watch any of it very long these days because I get so sick of each one bashing eachother and everyone else in their path to "top ratings." I wish I could say that at the end of this election it will all stop, but I think this is a glimpse into the future! Glad to know I am not alone!!!
I didn't get to see the game, but it must have been amazing...Matt Holliday is such a hottie!!!
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