Dues Ex: An accurate prediction into the future or a stylized dream.?

Stack on 7/10/2002 at 23:33

An interesting thing about society is that creation and advancement, and even change, are not parts of it. The world has become a feuding monarchy with the UN as the church. Right now America is king, as she will be for the foreseable future, so American policy is based on maintaining the status quo. This is not meant as an insult, rather maintaing the status quo is what the powerful strive to do. Now people may scream about changes that are happening every day, about how this and that law are passed, or about how this and that technology has advanced - but most of the laws are regulatory and most of the technology won't come to fruition in our lifetimes. Socially there have been very few changes that were not cosmetic since World War II - both in the US and globally. The UN happily engages in its humanitarian crusades while remaining innefectual with the big issues.

The world is as hysterical and fucked up now as it was a year ago, a decade ago or even 50 years ago - the only difference now is that for the moment people have deigned to notice. The horrible things which have always happened and which no one knew about are now splashed across the news for ratings. People dig up the "truth" behind matters and throw it on a web site for the world to view. Everyone yells and hollers about truth in the media and how the media is a tool of the government - yet they don't think back to the fact that the media, as a tool, was used to found the United States. "No Taxation Without Representation!" Nice slogan, it got the people behind it. Was that the truth? It was an aspect of the truth, certainly, but primarily it was propaghanda to rile people up against the oppressors. Truth be told, the population of America at that point paid the lowest taxes in the entire world, including those living in Britain. Trust the government? No. Trust anyone? No, if you want to be totally safe. But that philosophy leads you to a bunker in the woods somewhere with only your dog Spot for companionship. There's no point to active mistrust, just intelligent awareness. Leave insanity to the bunker-bound. Sit back, be aware, and partake of your favorite video game.

Tocky on 9/10/2002 at 23:20

Another thing about the much maligned media, although accused of being nothing but tools for propaganda people forget that it took down Nixon, a sitting president. Offhand I can't think of any news orginization worldwide which has taken down a head of state. I trust the US media more than the AP but you can't get horses mouth info without them. How about those Israelis eating Muslim babies on holy days? Boy that AlJazeera sure can't be accused of propagnda!:sly:

Stack on 9/10/2002 at 23:57

Oh don't get me wrong - I'm a big fan of the media. Hell, I'm a double major in English and Journalism and I get my money by doing freelance journalism work, so if I really hated the media I'd be out of a job. The media is the key to any society that even pretends to claim to be free. The media is the instrument of freedom. My problems stem more from the method if media consumption prevelant in modern day society then they do from media in and of itself. That problem stems from society in general, though, not the media in particular. Yes, Nixon was "brought down" by the media, however the media's role in that was exactly the same as it is with every other story. Information was conveyed in a responsible manner. Now, if you compare that to the recent Lewinski scandal with Big Bill, the media acted irresponsibly (irresponsably? I can't spell for s***. Thank god for spell check) in that they used that whole even for the sake of ratings. So long as the president's actions with his interns don't effect his ability to do his job, it's not a major issue. He wasn't breaking the law, like Nixon was. In that case, the media merely played on American religious conservitivism in order to villify the president and create a scandal and, therefore, ratings.

This is what I mean about modern mass media. Gotta love alliteration. It is, and has to be, based on ratings. I say it has to be because if it wasn't then the money would have to be "donated" by private individuals or it would be government run - both worse then corporate news. The downfall of this is that sensationalism becomes a driving force, but I'm sure you're all aware of this already. Of course, sensationalism can have its uses - for example, the Vietnam war. It wasn't even questioned until images were splashed all over the media. And also the war in the former Yugoslavia - until the media sensationalized it no one in America (or anywhere else in the world) would have cared much.

Another problem is how the media tends to reinforce public opinion as opposed to challenging and informing the public. This makes sense, as people enjoy having their beliefs reinforced, but it doesn't make for a more informed populace.

As to the AP - I've got to say that I'm quite a fan. They generally do a solid job of reporting. They can't be your only source, of course, but in general they're reliable. American newsmedia frustrates me because they seem to write for the lowest common denominator.

I could go on for hours - about how the media deals with sources, especially the government, how, when you get down to it, both the government and the media use each other, ect ect..., but I'll stop for now. I just joined this forum and here I am blabbing like a maniac.

Tocky on 10/10/2002 at 01:33

Good blabbing though. As for Clinton I agree that was a bit of a witch hunt but it did expose his character and penchant for hedging the truth. I'll pick character over intelligence any day. The Germans were intelligent inWWII except for following Hitler which was a character flaw.
What about NPR? Government station that leans left in the choice of stories it airs if nothing else. Reliable for the most part though. You probably worry about Fox though right? Don't. We need the right to expose as much as the left. Thier execs are a bunch of juvenile jerks for the attacks on Paula Zahn but O'Reily has done a lot of good and keeps us in check on that side of the road, just like steering a car you can go too far either way. I may be biasedly independent (is this possible?) but except for celebs and sports, which can be veiwed as comic relief, I don't think there is as much to worry about as you think. More foreign coverage though, maybe you can help when you get in.
As for Nam, my brother was there so I can't express how happy I was when it ended but I've heard his sorrowful tale of those we left behind and holisticly I do understand the checking of communist spread. Read Orwells animal farm which was a response to communism. Talk about lowest common denominator, where there is nothing to compete for there is stagnation. Thank you for your choice of majors by the way. Maybe I won't have to "get on my knees and pray... we don't get fooled again."