As I’ve written previously in this blog, I’m a recovering news junkie. I am recovered to the point that I’m not bothered if they want to flash some stuff at me as needed. If they strapped me to a chair, and made me watch news, read the newspaper or consume other news, I wouldn’t be fussed. Perhaps my idiotmeter is gaining tolerance. Perhaps they are learning not to test my idiotmeter.
Also, as I’ve written previously in this blog, Mr. Jobs Woz, and I am, fascinated by consumerism. If he had lasted this long, and I am grateful he has not, Mr. Jobs might find my fascination with the news media fascinating. At the risk of sounding vain, a risk I take too often, I suspect Mr. Jobs found me fascinating.
While Ozark camping, a stray dog approached me. We got on swimmingly. The next day, when time came to move my bowels, I got my toilet paper, my spade and dug my hole. As I squatted to do my duty, the faeces exited my body, and before that item hit the ground, the dog snatched his meal. And another.
I took that stray dog to an animal shelter. I’m still uncertain I did the right thing. I can hear Mr. Miyamoto now. No regrets. If I am the person who shot Mr. Jobs, I know I did the right thing. No regret whatsoever. When’s his successor dead?
My point being, the dog, like Mr. Jobs, found me fascinating. How is his successor different? He’s not family. He’s not come up with anything notable since his watch and putting together my AirPods. Tik Tok. Is he trying to do as much damage as possible so his dead fortune looks comparatively better?
The mass media is just another consumer product. W. Somerset Maugham, my favourite author, supplies a product. Why is consuming mass media junk, and consuming DWEM product not?
Confederates
Many people agree that a large percentage of what they get from mass media is wrong. Why are they knowingly consuming something they know is wrong?
We do what we must to belong. One way to belong is to share a false reality. One way to share a false reality is to consume Orwellian wisdom, and share the bond of regurgitation. The less true the media, the greater the bond. The more we can share a lie, the closer we become. At best, the truth is irrelevant.
I am amazed at the human’s ability to repeatedly regurgitate gibberish. No thought given to whether the idea makes sense. They know the media lies. When I explain they are repeating nonsense, they don’t seem to mind. They are glad to have a basis on which to bond.
If you agree with them, great, if not, and you do so politely, they are pleased to have a conversation. If you don’t agree, and you do so rudely, they can start arguing. Americans often prefer arguing to understanding. Some americans don’t want a conversation. They want to kill.
I drive your country. At service establishments, on my annual 50k km, I am frequently asked, ‘How may we help you?’ or ‘Is there anything else?’ I often reply “World harmony?”
If my request mystifies, I explain further. Responses run the gamut. Many are glad for the chuckle and offer riposte. A number, more than ten percent, less than a quarter, are really, really ticked off. They know who I am. They know what I am, and they were looking forward to maiming and killing. Why one of those folks hasn't taken down one or two of the Fortune 500 Fatwa, I know not. Have they tried?
Some people, mostly the penis types, were born to kill. That is their place in the ecosystem. I’m not here to judge.
Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming
One clue is the word ‘news’. There is nothing new. There is nothing old. Everything is happening this moment. We first generation biological humans perceive time linearly. Real time is not linear. Real time might be conceivable by humans, but not without technology.
Like democracy in a capitalist economy, ‘new’ is a lie.
