An Editorial and Opinion
I grew up on the shores of New England. Fishermen, seeking to entice fish to close in on the boat, often would chum the water. (In some places this is not allowed because they do not want the sharks to associate the people with food!) Chum is lots of fish parts throw in the water to lure the fish in close to the fishermen.
What resulted was a feeding frenzy.
There is another type of feeding frenzy that occurs when a school of fish may happen, where the attacking fish go “crazy” and bite anything, including others of their own species.
Hmmm…
America’s media is often in the practice of the “chumming” the waters of news and social media with headlines, designed to polarize and cause attention. (We use the word viral, now, to describe that.) On some levels, they have never done anything differently, and I do understand. Sex, conspiracies, and accidents, always “sell” better than most other things. {{more}}
Once again, we are in the midst of a debacle that has divided people and media. A “confrontation” that seemingly daily, grows bigger and more divisive, as more and more video, stories and posts pour in. I am talking about the Covington Catholic School confrontation with Nathan Philips.
I am not picking sides or seeking to infuriate, encourage or placate anyone. I am making some points that I feel need to be made.
This is a real story on so many levels, and I fully embrace that. What I struggle with is the subsequent “feeding frenzy” that has accompanied this incident. Threats of death and injury, do NOT do anything more than create more frenzy.
First, let me give you some of my personal background with regard to news and media. My grandfather was a publisher in the 1920’s. My mom was an English teacher, and taught me the value of research. I studied a lot of history. In 1995 I began my first internet site and a lot of “news” appeared there. Not too long after that I began to develop actual newspapers. I was involved in radio and television in the early 2000’s. I publish news, right up to this moment. I know the temptation of sensationalism.
Years ago, I had a story that involved the embezzlement of funds from a nonprofit, by a director. I wanted to make it FRONT PAGE NEWS. We ultimately released the news, just as it happened. No editorial on it. In the words of Joe Friday, “just the facts”.
This recent incident has polarized our nation. Why? It plays to our senses. Racism, the President, youth, and more.
Even, Whoopi Goldberg in this moment with Joyce Behar, had questions.
“Many people admitted they made snap judgement before these facts came in,” Goldberg said. “But is it that we just instantly say ‘that’s what it is’ based on what we see in that moment and then have to walk stuff back when it turns out we’re wrong? Why do we keep making the same mistakes?”
“Because we’re desperate to get Trump out of office,” Behar replied, provoking audience laughter.
That last sentence has the ability to polarize IF WE LET IT!
Here are some of my thoughts.
Us versus Them
The “us versus them” factor is growing at a frightful rate.
Why mention it? I do not want to compare this, as others have, to previous “falsified” headlines, because this is a new situation, that has its own story line.
What is painful to watch, is the sides of “us versus them” parsing pages of transcript, scrolling video, and deciding what is good for them, with snippets and sound bites.
We have moved to an editorial news cycle, fueled with emotion, rarely with an incident that stands on its own.
A single incident, that often becomes conspiracy laden, and fueled with divisionary tactics. In the midst of that, many people have lost their ability to be respectful and process the news.
Don’t Believe Everything You See
We have somehow come to believe everything we see. All too often, we will recite, “don’t believe everything you see on the internet”, yet we come to feast, all the while disregarding logic and thought. More often than not we will process, what we see through our experience, our understanding or our thinking.
Have you ever watched an illusionist? Have you ever been deceived?
Somehow we think a longer video will give us a more comprehensive result. I am not sure. Recently, I read a comprehensive article, Stop Trusting Viral Videos, by Ian Bogost. His conclusion?
It’s tempting to think that the short video at the Lincoln Memorial shows the truth, and then that the longer video revises or corrects that truth. But the truth on film is more complicated: Video can capture narratives that people take as truths, offering evidence that feels incontrovertible. But the fact that those visceral certainties can so easily be called into question offers a good reason to trust video less, rather than more. Good answers just don’t come this fast and this easily.
Form and content, make a difference. Read a similar article in the New York Times, by David Brooks, titled How We Destroy Lives Today
Believe The Best
I decided a long time ago, to believe the best about people, whether it is Whoopi Goldberg or President Trump. In saying, that, you may want to paint me naive, or think I have Pollyana thinking. Maybe you think, I am anti-activism, but remember I was in New Haven Connecticut in the 60’s.
I think waiting a bit for “truth” to sort out is extremely important. I chose to promote “positive news”, but that does not mean, I missed out on the negative. To gain 20 stories on some days, may require rolling in the muck and the mire of negativity. And few have a badge for news, as opposed to editorialism, sensationalism, or even honor, let alone, keeping a lid on their bias. I have watched all the “gotcha’s” and think while it sells, it brings shame to the industry, causing people to trust them less. I also realize that “reality” reporting is not always such.
You may think that foolish, but in believing the best, I often find out the truth. And even in difficulties, honor will win out.
And finally?
The Solution? DON’T TAKE THE BAIT
If one does not rise to the bait one cannot be caught. No fish was ever reeled in without taking the hook. Avoid the frenzy. Don’t bite those around you. Determine NOT to jump in.
Let’s not allow their values to become our values.
The result?
If we the people stop taking the bait, chummed by the industry, they will either dry up and go away or they will change their ways. Put your spending where your values are. I fully understand it may take some time, but better we begin then never start at all.
Martin Luther King Jr said this, Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Change will occur when you and I take the step.
Lee is the father of 5, with 9 grandchildren. He is businessman, minister, and activist for a better tomorrow. Positive News For You and PN4UINC are two of the companies he has formed for changing the world through positivity.
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