Hope Flocks

The Huffington Post reports that the media's only now turned away from Obama. But did you really think for one minute the MSM would let it be otherwise?

The obviousness with which the media has historically evaded stories about Armenia, the Holocaust, East Timor, Cambodia, Darfur, the oligarchic reign of George Bush and the groundswell of a possible Obama presidency shows its overall mission to divert its consumers from anything compelling them to think for themselves, to ponder their own existences which might ultimately obviate the need for a mainstream media itself. But since they are rarely given that option people mostly forget they should care, as long as they are fed manufactured versions of life. They need it like they've always needed the story of the risen Christ, et al.: without it, the bleak reality would be too much for animals so cursed with self awareness. Truth (i.e., mortality) is just too terrifying to face without hopes, even if they are patently false.

To the all-powerful data-disseminators, the education of the individual is important only as it reinforces tribal cohesion and the nature of our modern society seems to suggest that life be lived in the macro rather than microcosm; the essence, the complexity, the beauty of the individual is ultimately fleeting, ultimately subsumed. It is the dense, dull momentum of the mass that seems to matter, understood only when seen as if from a great height, the individual sparks obliterated by the distance supplied by our media masters. No, no, this is how you should think, this is how you should feel. And above all, buy this...

So citizen: inform thyself and free thyself.

But how to? By severing our addiction to the vast amount of info-teats we tickle every minute we would surely starve. Didn't we create from necessity an information network of umbilical cords tethering us to mother society because we began to feel the pangs of curiousness? A nation of disparate hermits fumbling around trying to gather data pertinent to their own individual existences would be as efficient as those old electric vibrating football games where the "players" shivered aimlessly across the metal field, almost never scoring except by sheer accident.

So we trusted. But after a while trusting the media was the same as trusting that Og the Big One Who Went Outside The Cave would return with an objective report. What choice was there? We were scared of mammoths and the moon. The unfortunate thing is those trustees eventually weighed personal profit with responsibility and the former won out.

What better exemplifies both the dream and the reality of democracy? It is proof that for the tribal leaders the part of the brain wherein the conscience stirs is tiny, if not in ounces then in ethical scope. They are the parts of the brain that evolved intact from the trogs who wielded the most threatening bludgeons. Like all animals, humans flock. They all have some idea of where they'd like to go but in the end the appointed leader sets the course. And if said leader leads them to warmth and security, very well. If, however, it guides them into the side of a rocky butte, the leader pulling up at the last moment to save itself while the rest dash themselves, well then really: what could be more natural? But the question remains: when we see that crash coming--and we do--why don't we pull up?

Because trusting ourselves rather than our appointed leaders is the most frightening prospect of all. We'd be stepping out into a void. We'd be letting go of mommy and daddy's hand. When Adam and Eve eats the apple, self-awareness results in banishment and knowledge is death.

It's not so much that I am a rabid Obamabot, as some might say between snickers. It is that I am a rabid Hope-bot. And hope seems to dwell inside a particular individual who expressed a sentiment not heard for some time and in a way that seemed to imply a chance at individual empowerment unseen and unheard for too long a period. In an environment where the tribal imperative seems to be 24-hour a day consumerism, it is the message of hope offered as an alternative to the dull inevitability embodied a blindly trusting and too easily led mass which inspires. As concepts they shouldn't be mutually exclusive. But as tales woven by the Mainstream Media, they are and forever shall be.

Comments

[graffen48]

Exellent commentary!! It's like that uneasy feeling I get in the pit of my stomach of "oh s***, not again, please? " whenever Clinton or McCain rears their ugly heads to speak to us. Its not so much the politics of fear that worries me anymore, but the politics of boredom. I already know what to expect with a Clinton and/or a McCain as our leader and for whatever reason it just leaves me feeling dull and depressed. Hey, Obama is far from perfect, but damn, at least he makes me feel excited about things again.

[esky]

Yeah, lets all go down the tubes because you "makes you feel excited". You are our real future. Know nothing, learn nothing. The American Idol voter.

[graffen48]

lol, not bad not bad, but I'm still not gonna vote for a liar or someone with Alzheimer's . Aren't we already "down the tubes" to use your words? You don't scare me, Clinton doesn't scare me, and McCain, well actually, McCain does scare me a little.

[LanceJetson]

It's nice to hear that you do have hope, Steven. In fact call yourself a "Hope-bot.­" But you'd hardly guess it from your writings.

[DDeBlaine]

All of you shut up and go home now. It's Friday for God's sake. Give it a rest at least until Monday. There will be plenty to fuss about come the new week.

[kellygrrrl]

Of the People, By the People, For the People

the MSM seems to have lost sight of their job description.
they are purely ego based at this point.
It is in the best interest of their ego to get as many rounds and as much blood as possible from this fight.

[Careful]

Of the People, By the People, For the People ... that's the media's job description? Since when?

[kellygrrrl]

I wasn't saying that. There were 2 separate thoughts.
the media is intended to be a informational tool for the people,
not the propaganda tool of the govt.

choosing our leadership is intended to be
of the People, By the People, For the People

[susaw]

Once again, you've nailed it. A media that dwells on "sound bites" out of context does not serve the voter well. A good example is what the press did to George McGovern; he was totally vilified in the press and lost in a landslide. We have choices; the internet is available as an alternative to MSM, but I'm not sure there are many voters willing to search it out.

[whistlingfish]

You appear clear-headed enough when the mainstream media attacks your candidate of choice, yet you fail to call for a deeper look when the same talking heads cry for a quick end to the Democratic primaries. For years now we've been told to ignore the democratic process and fall into lockstep behind outrageous proposals. Ignore undeclared wars, ignore the loss of habeas corpus, ignore torture, ignore rising gas prices, ignore a failing economy. Remember the Evil Ones who want to terrorize our nation and look the other way as civil rights are compromised.

Now the same group of people say don't go to the floor of the convention; don't let the process run its course; do what's best for the party. But what's best for big business, the party, imperialism, and those who would foist perpetual war on us is that citizens forget the democratic process. I want democracy played out life-size on the floor of the Democratic Convention. I'm only disappointed that all the original candidates won't be there until the end, so that the party platform will truly reflect the full spectrum of its constituents.

The sooner we remember that the nation is run by "we the people" and not talking heads or political bosses, that it is owned by the people and not multinational corporations, that it is governed by a Constitution and not by political leaders, the better off we'll be; and it begins with Democrats taking the process through all its paces.

[Careful]

The problem is that "we the people" also includes talking heads, political bosses, multinational corporations (which also happen to be run by "we the people"). "We the people" also include labor unions, religious organizations, loonies on the left and the right, and every college professor and nose picking troglodyte that holds citizenship in this country. And the the country is not "governed" by the Constitution. The Constitution lays out a framework that allows the diverse "we the people" to argue about the very different ideas that "we the people" hold. If all the issues that the nation could possible face were laid out in the Constitution, we wouldn't need the Supreme Court. And, sadly, although most Americans are now finally against the war, the fact is most Americans were for the war when it started, and millions of people still support it.

[DickTater]

All campaigns are basically run thru TV and Big Media now. Not your most local races, but anything county wide or higher. All of our interaction with the process, in state and federal elections comes to most people 100% thru tv or state/national papers.

All the campaign money gets spent on tv buys. Millions upon millions in every state except WY or RI.

For many decades, the american people had a lot of good newspapers owned by lots of owners....­and for decades they had tv news which was non-profit and was professional and was civic minded. So, just when we got good and hooked on this riches of substantial information it twisted. Was perverted. Went to the dark side. Corporations just making another business decision.

We are not going to be "remembering" that the govt and elections are The People's anytime soon. Cuz BigMedia isn't spreading that message.
Taking this dem runoff to the convention helps Nobody but Big Media and the candidate who is best at playing dirty.

[esky]

Its the script. In the script Obama is the nominee. Why won't Hilary just get off the stage? We in the corporate media decide who runs and who wins. let's just ignoe the psychotic McCain, destroy yestrday's news Hillary and continue to hype the vapid Obama, a natural leading man type. When will this country grow up? Never?

[Serfie]

Steven Weber wrote:

The obviousness with which the media has historically evaded stories about Armenia, the Holocaust, East Timor, Cambodia, Darfur, the oligarchic reign of George Bush and the groundswell of a possible Obama presidency shows its overall mission to divert its consumers from anything compelling them to think for themselves, to ponder their own existences which might ultimately obviate the need for a mainstream media itself.

Really, how self-deluded are you Hollywood celebrities who milk the consumer cow for all its worth in producing the mind-numbing crap(Wings) you condemn the masses for consuming?

The Armenia genocide was a hundred years ago. I guess the Armenia genocide was CNN's fault.

And there have been many stories, movies, books, mini-series written about the Nazi Holocaust.

And recently there were two academy award winning movies about Cambodia, Killing Fields, and Rwanda, Hotel Rwanda. The Sudanese crisis has been in the media for years.

East Timor is now an independent nation. I guess Steve Weber missed that news when we was starring in that awe-inspiring movie, "Late Last Night."

And George Bush has been pilloried in the media for most of his presidency.

Maybe Steven Weber wrote this piece while recovering from a 4/20 festival.

[amnark]

George Bush has been PILLORIED? Seriously, you must be recovering from a Viagra festival as there can be no blood flowing through your cranium. George Bush has been given a free ride. He lied to Congress, the American people, the world, and as yet there have been no in depth reporting on any of that. Our media pays attention to important issues? Has any story about Rwanda ever gotten more air time than Anna Nicole Smith in in week of her life?
Our corporately owned and operated media exists for one reason, consumerism. Mainstream news is little more than infotainment. The most important election in our life time has been turned into a color-commentary presentation of a cock-fight. The polarization of the democratic party has been a complete success, thanks to the way the primary has been framed by the MSM.

[DickTater]

I would like to qualify statements like Media is all bout One Thing...co­nsumerism or ratings or profits...­..
yes, yes

but that stuff is easy, if you control all the media. Consolidating, streamlining, having One Message and no screwups, keeping control, writing the laws, owning our brains and eyeballs..­....
That is what they are really up to.
Keeping you from knowing what is happening.
Keeping you from rising up and casting them down
Keeping you from candidates that won't be so good for Big Media - making sure RonPaul and Kucinich and Edwards disappear.
Not showing you the caskets, the horror show.
Always applauding BigBrother government, and marginalizing and vilifying those damn treehuggers and hippies.

Consumerism is a given.
Ratings, Profits, whatever. But give them more credit than just being greedy. Everybody can be greedy. These folks got a lot more going on than just making money.