SENSATIONALISM.......

.....with apologies to Karl Marx, is the (new) religion of the masses.

As I do not have television, I will keep my remarks focused on what passes for “news” in the press, although from what I hear, the level of television programming and reporting is at a pretty dismal level also.

Why is it that I cannot find or read informed articles and debate about current situations? I can find ample examples of following “the party line” (whichever party that happens to coincide with the views of the editor-in-chief or vice versa), of pandering to the absolute basic instincts of the “sheep” or of a shallowness of reporting bordering on abysmal (writing to fill up a space rather than giving informed opinion).

Some years ago an American newspaper owner launched a new paper; it was devoted SOLELY to giving positive information and informed comment….. it failed within months!

To me it’s a vicious circle; people are being “dumbed-down” educationally and this is reflected in what they read; in order to maintain their level of circulation, editors and owners of newspapers follow the masses and even create and exacerbate the dumbing-down process producing a “lose-lose” process. Or is it that the vast majority of people are too shell-shocked, ignorant, economically castrated or merely couldn’t care less in getting and considering depth of information?

I think perhaps once or twice in these blogs have I mentioned current affairs and that has been my deliberate policy. However, if enough of what I call the “shrinking, thinking class” wishes me to expand in this direction, I will gladly do so. Let me know your thoughts….

Until next time (and in depth),

P.S.