Walter Cronkite did not sensationalize;
he did not editorialize;
nope, he didn't even try to excite you.
He just told you whatever it was that was happening.
He didn't care how you felt about it or what side of the story you were on. He didn't even care if you knew how he really felt about the news he was giving you.
He just told you what he knew to be true no matter how dry he sounded.
This was a completely different model of news delivery than what we get today, which is more theatrics than anything.
Today's media is trying to convince you,
is trying to attack their opponents,
and most importantly trying to keep you entertained
so you don't turn the channel, don't click off the page or turn off the video.
However, the more insidious part of it all, the news and media today are trying to trigger you.
They know the more they can pull you by your heart strings, the more you will keep watching and the more advertising dollars these sons of bitches get to keep.
Sure, we all want to make money off our news content; and sure, most of us, these days, add our own tone and opinion when telling people the news, but the problem isn't necessarily news for profit, entertainment or emotional appeal.
No, the problem with news and media is our refusal to admit as news givers and news receivers that we are insanely cognitively biased.
We seem to only care about the news that supports what we already want to be true and we will tear anyone down who even slightly disagrees.
Not only do we tear people down, we will cancel them, ignore family and friends, block facebook friends and completely pretend like someone doesn't exist just because they believe in something opposite to what we believe.
We have become pestilent children, the generation that never grew up but who had to eventually become adults. We have become the Joffrey Generation, a generation that was thrusted into power and responsibility before we even knew how to manage our own psychological issues, issues that were caused by broken promises, unrealistic expectations and shattered dreams.
This generation thought we were going to be some technocratic hippies going to live fanciful lives, fall in love like the movies and be loved by everyone.
However, the reality is that there are losers to every game, loneliness is more commonplace than not, and everyone just seems to hate everyone else.
However, the more insidious part of it all, the news and media today are trying to trigger you.
They know the more they can pull you by your heart strings, the more you will keep watching and the more advertising dollars these sons of bitches get to keep.
Sure, we all want to make money off our news content; and sure, most of us, these days, add our own tone and opinion when telling people the news, but the problem isn't necessarily news for profit, entertainment or emotional appeal.
No, the problem with news and media is our refusal to admit as news givers and news receivers that we are insanely cognitively biased.
We seem to only care about the news that supports what we already want to be true and we will tear anyone down who even slightly disagrees.
Not only do we tear people down, we will cancel them, ignore family and friends, block facebook friends and completely pretend like someone doesn't exist just because they believe in something opposite to what we believe.
We have become pestilent children, the generation that never grew up but who had to eventually become adults. We have become the Joffrey Generation, a generation that was thrusted into power and responsibility before we even knew how to manage our own psychological issues, issues that were caused by broken promises, unrealistic expectations and shattered dreams.
This generation thought we were going to be some technocratic hippies going to live fanciful lives, fall in love like the movies and be loved by everyone.
However, the reality is that there are losers to every game, loneliness is more commonplace than not, and everyone just seems to hate everyone else.
So, of course, no one is delivering news without sensationalism, a call to action (or to be triggered), without theatrics and dramatics, and without getting political.
But, trying to build a system where everybody is a winner and where there are no losers, is like trying to burn weed without producing any ashes. The smoke won and the ashes lost; that's just how it is.
Trying to eat the ashes is not making this world better, just like reporting the news in a sensationalist way isn't make this world any better.
When you eat ash, it's not helping anyone. Sure, you will get your attention that converts into cash, but all that you have done is become the very thing you hate.
An ash producing, asshole.
But, trying to build a system where everybody is a winner and where there are no losers, is like trying to burn weed without producing any ashes. The smoke won and the ashes lost; that's just how it is.
Trying to eat the ashes is not making this world better, just like reporting the news in a sensationalist way isn't make this world any better.
When you eat ash, it's not helping anyone. Sure, you will get your attention that converts into cash, but all that you have done is become the very thing you hate.
An ash producing, asshole.
