I've got some good news and some bad news....
How many media expert does it take to figure out what sort of news sells best? None. Say it with me: bad news sells. That's the bad news. Yet, after another car crash with innocent victims, may they rest in peace, which was the reason for another day of national mourning, I think many were left cynical. Of course, quietly so. This is less a testament to their character, in fact I will openly admit I felt skepticism rise in me as well- we mourn for a day, TV channels will change their broadcast schedule and content for a day, reasons will be thrown around the newspapers, the opposition will blame the current government for the fact that they haven't been doing their job. After the small changes in legislation, necessary to calm down the general public, it will all slowly go away, business as usual. Hypocrisy is ugly, I don't condone it regardless of the reasons behind it and this case is no different- we have become numb to the gross over-exposure to negatively slanted news reports. It is inevitable, given the psychology of our human nature.
Have I got news for you! Paradoxically, t is this desensitisation, though, that allows for some good news within tonight's report- more and more often lately I find myself impressed with the great kindness of humans. I see volunteers travelling the world to help out people they have never met. I see people setting up dog shelters, sparing from their time, energy and money, to heal homeless dogs and feed them. I see an old couple still holding hands after decades of marriage, as they pass through airport security. I see kindness to strangers at stations. It is all within us, and I don't believe that some are innately good and others- innately bad people. Hopefully, if you just allow yourself to, you will see such Acts of Random Kindness. And, as saturated as we've become with bad news, where good news are not a given, but the exception, we inevitably are more impressed with them. As the capitalist world some of us live in will have us know, scarcity means higher value. Ergo, the rules of economics and human nature make me believe that soon enough, news channels will start looking for the good news, and more importantly, we as viewers and co-habiting humans, will be looking for our own good news.
It was in search for evidence for these good news that I set up my other blog, and I am still looking, every day.
How many media expert does it take to figure out what sort of news sells best? None. Say it with me: bad news sells. That's the bad news. Yet, after another car crash with innocent victims, may they rest in peace, which was the reason for another day of national mourning, I think many were left cynical. Of course, quietly so. This is less a testament to their character, in fact I will openly admit I felt skepticism rise in me as well- we mourn for a day, TV channels will change their broadcast schedule and content for a day, reasons will be thrown around the newspapers, the opposition will blame the current government for the fact that they haven't been doing their job. After the small changes in legislation, necessary to calm down the general public, it will all slowly go away, business as usual. Hypocrisy is ugly, I don't condone it regardless of the reasons behind it and this case is no different- we have become numb to the gross over-exposure to negatively slanted news reports. It is inevitable, given the psychology of our human nature.
Have I got news for you! Paradoxically, t is this desensitisation, though, that allows for some good news within tonight's report- more and more often lately I find myself impressed with the great kindness of humans. I see volunteers travelling the world to help out people they have never met. I see people setting up dog shelters, sparing from their time, energy and money, to heal homeless dogs and feed them. I see an old couple still holding hands after decades of marriage, as they pass through airport security. I see kindness to strangers at stations. It is all within us, and I don't believe that some are innately good and others- innately bad people. Hopefully, if you just allow yourself to, you will see such Acts of Random Kindness. And, as saturated as we've become with bad news, where good news are not a given, but the exception, we inevitably are more impressed with them. As the capitalist world some of us live in will have us know, scarcity means higher value. Ergo, the rules of economics and human nature make me believe that soon enough, news channels will start looking for the good news, and more importantly, we as viewers and co-habiting humans, will be looking for our own good news.
It was in search for evidence for these good news that I set up my other blog, and I am still looking, every day.
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