• Transforming Perceptions Of Reality

We have entered a new phase of reality distortion as negative events become positive in their reporting. Truth is being transformed. I don’t refer here to politicians lying about the state of affairs to promote a self serving scheme or other. I refer to the mainstream media and its warped reporting of the reality its audience lives through each day.

Perhaps we subconsciously need the adulteration of our realities, converting them into distracting wishful deceptions. Is there a chance that the effect is dispersing our anxieties? With so many directly affected by a burst-mortgage-bubble recession, positive spins are readily accepted. How else can one explain an acceptance, with all associated relief, of continuing increases in unemployment numbers? Is it because the totals are not as bad as had been expected? How did it make any sense that the financial institutions most responsible for the current state of economic affairs became the too-big-to-fail partners of government? Is there any doubt that Wall Street controls the agenda?

Why is it good news that government has insinuated itself into the heart of American industry while permanently bolstering union influence over the management of companies like GM? Has something new been introduced into the concept of socializing industry? Did Soviet Russia not prove beyond any doubt that government-in-charge doesn’t work? The current version of hope-and-change appears to simply mean Big Government.

Is it really good news that the health care industry is heading irreversibly toward a day when it will be a government run business? Were there not alternative strategies available to seriously improve the state of health care including those discussed here: Health Care - What You Are Not Hearing? But wait, there’s more good news coming, and please ignore the $12 trillion U.S. national debt almost equaling the Nation's GDP, since it only amounts to $111,000 per taxpayer. It is apparently great news that this amount is minor when compared to the funds “committed” to health care and pensions that the Baby Boomer generation is fully expecting just around the corner.

When a President professes concern about deficits, but supports unprecedented spending programs sending the Country into out-of-control deficits and debt, the headlines read, “good news,” because he doesn't really want to do it, but he has to. The media sells us the gossamer subtlety of "intent," to promote acceptability of truth distortion. The fawning mainstream media is doing its best to channel public consciousness down the feel good road.

Look for more government stimulus money to be added to the already pegged $787 billion stimulus, much of which has been allocated to prominent Democratic districts. Over two thirds of the money is still awaiting distribution, obviously being held back for release at the most propitious time in order to achieve maximum influence on upcoming elections.

Fear has been very effectively used through the past few years by government to gain support for the implementation of decisions that might not have easily floated over the electorate otherwise. Positive spin has worked the fear, and converted absurd policies into amplified and satisfying rays of hope.

If the main stream media continues its persistent misrepresentations of the truth, hope will disintegrate completely as new intractable realities insinuate themselves permanently into the economic and social landscape. Taxpayers deserve better from their Fourth Estate and from their politicians. If this transformation of perceptions doesn’t end soon, the result will be an irreversible transformation of America.

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• The Fourth Estate – R.I.P.?

For generations we have accepted the “press,” as a vital element of democracy. It has been known as The Fourth Estate because it came to represent a counterbalance to the executive, legislature and judiciary. This fourth leg providing balance in our society was given birth through a network of independent single page papers distributed by hand that evolved over two centuries to include radio and television. Its current manifestation, however, no longer plays the role of independent pillar supporting the social triumph that is democracy.

The Fourth Estate brought us news, presented opinions and often played the role of guardian, even becoming an attack dog, when it found abuse of power in one of the three branches of government. We did not assume complete objectivity, which would have been too much to ask of fellow human beings, but we expected truth, and at the very least we demanded a dearth of ideological paddling of particular political creeds.

The past twenty years saw enormous consolidations occur at alarming rates throughout the corporate landscape, to an extent that the term, “too big to fail,” became acceptable, terminology. Through repetition, the phrase evolved into an affirmation, and the insanity of its meaning escaped inquisitive common sense.

These consolidations inevitably affected all areas of media and resulted in the formation of gigantic entertainment and culture empires with some subsidiaries masquerading as news companies. In today’s media sovereignties, the term, “journalism,” no longer applies to any performance or occupation preoccupying their employees. Their commissions have dissolved into endeavors that would more appropriately be called, “celebrity reporting.” The writers and talking heads have themselves become celebrities, and the objects of their reports are celebrities created by the media conglomerates. The “star” making machines are profitable cogs for their masters.

Whether the celebrities are the Hollywood version, the corporate executive edition or the latest political rendition, the pandering dialogue is neither inquisitive nor analytical. Whether addressing business or politics our media has become boringly consistent and vacuous as if every news program or publication was its own adaptation of People magazine. Pretty pictures passing by, saying nothing, providing no insight or truth, but shouting, “look at me, I am a trademark.”

We witnessed in dismay as not a single member of the media questioned the irrational invasion of Iraq. We watched interviews adoringly pander to too many business leaders of corporate America as they abused their positions, and in some cases personally took hundreds of millions, even billions of dollars, from their corporate coffers. More than a few committed acts that should have been considered fraudulent, but were acceptable because everybody else was doing it. The business media simply looked on approvingly as ethics evaporated. They would not dare question celebrity, or inquire uncomfortably of those who had the power to terminate advertising and therefore affect their paychecks. What else can we expect when there is greater concern for the interviewer’s sex appeal or status, than for the quality of the interview. It is not that the interviewers are airheads, far from it. It is simply not their job to delve, probe or question, plowing for truth, while well armed with information. The objective is to attract audience and advertising.

It may be some time before we recover from the lack of analysis into the ideological games that were played by politicians manipulating the levers of influence that created the housing bubble. Not one member of the Administration, present or previous, nor any member of Congress, has been purposefully brought to task by anyone in the mainstream media. We have not benefitted from any vigorous investigate reporting on the creation of the financial fiasco currently being endured and creating stress for all taxpayers. Where are our 21st Century versions of Woodward and Bernstein? The few who attempt such efforts are independent, and considered marginal. Their labors bear little fruit. If the mainstream media doesn’t pick up the story, its likelihood of gaining traction is minimal at best.

It is fortunate that the internet’s pervasive presence provides ample sources for those who wish to research. While there are stimulating ideas coming out of the blogosphere, expecting great things from the net now appears to be misguided. The influential web sites also need advertisers. They rush to attract more eyes than the next, and in so doing, only join the ranks of the irrelevant, ratings obsessed, mainstream media.

And so, we remain passively entertained, perched on the sidelines, as our lives become altered by special interests. We wish we had the time to become energetic participants, but we have jobs, sometimes 2 or 3, the rent is due, and just around the corner tax payments will demand attention. We can’t understand it all and wish some elected official would tell us the truth, for once. We yearn for that unusual political candidate that will once elected, keep promises made on the campaign trail. We wish members of the media would be more objective, and occasionally root out some of the schemes siphoning off our tax dollars for purposes no-one understands or cares enough to follow-up on.

The time has come for the phrase, “too big to succeed,” to take effect, and become entrenched in our vocabulary, particularly as it relates to members of The Fourth Estate. We need to clamor for a refurbishing of the fourth pillar so necessary in the sustenance of a healthy democracy. The accelerating polarization being perpetrated on society by the entertainment and culture industry posing as, “news,” must be reversed, before we return to a state similar to pre-revolutionary France where the Three Estates considered were the Aristocracy, the Clergy, and the People, however, the People had no say in the allocation of their tax money once it was collected.

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• BLOGS COMPLEMENT THE FOURTH ESTATE

A funny thing happens on the way through the internet. Amongst the noise of the blogosphere can be found cogent well written, insightful and thought provoking articles scutinizing our world. Some of most intriguing articles and postings are provided by writers intimately acquainted with the circumstances. Whether these are broadly staged adventures with widespread effect in which the writers participates, or more intimate stories, the percussion resonates. Blogs are becoming another cornerstone of our appreciation for the humanity around us, its triumphs, its strength, and its frailties as well as imperfections. At least, some blogs.

Although media is often accused of bias, this picaresque debate has little authenticity and rests on perspective. We all hold biases. No one is truly objective, we simply attempt to occasionally demonstrate some tolerance, and of course most would welcome being distinguished with a measure of objectivity. Most media’s challenge is to remain “relevant” while remaining profitable. Unfortunately consolidation in some media outlets has blanched our daily dose of relevance. The overwhelming challenge for the sometimes suspecting public is two-fold.

1. Quality. This is an ingredient that is difficult and expensive to deliver whether it be TV, radio, magazines or newspapers. “Prettying” up the delivery can mask a great deal of dubious content. The public is not really fooled by, … “we’ll do whatever it takes to attract their attention, but once we have it, we’ll deliver the goods.” If the magazine arrested your attention because it has a twenty three year old wearing some dental floss on its cover, it is unlikely you’ll find insightful “content” that will stimulate your brain. On television when the softballs are lobbed, we all recognize them. We just can’t reach through the television screen and grab the microphone. Not that we’d get a better answer. Experts interviewed aren’t objective either, particularly if they’re part of the story. Newspapers appear to have become a dominant source of relevance and insight, though the blogosphere is rapidly becoming a secondary fountain of treasures. Many of the major newspapers and even some small ones have come to recognize the significance of the internet and have capitalized on its power better than others of their media brethren.

There still remains a space which blogs are increasingly occupying through imparting insights other media cannot. While the anonymity of blogs has risks as to veracity of content, it also provides firsthand candor difficult to find elsewhere. Blogs can provide a very “current” and relevant perspective on events that affect us or touch us in some manner. The diffusion of human exploits through our communal consciousness has always benefited our comprehension and appreciation of ourselves.

2. Perception. Our perception of what is acceptable has been shifted. More accurately, it has been warped. For example, it appears too often assumed that as most of the population is doing battle to survive, it receives heaping rations of stress each day, and therefore doesn’t need to be provoked in the evening as it watches television. Just entertain the population. It’s mind is tired, don’t incite it. When did we begin accepting that inference of ourselves? If this was once true, why is there currently so much interest in the whole of the American population, on the outcome of the coming elections? The average American is not only paying all his or her taxes, he and she is now more than ever paying attention. There may occasionally exist a feeling of vulnerability, but there is sincere interest. He and she is awakening to the “dumb down” effect. This is a shift in perception.

This shift has inevitably been stirred by the ubiquitous nature of the internet and the blogosphere further stimulating individual common sense quite capable of deciphering the authentic and cogent, from the dubious and inadequate. Our collective consciousness is being stimulated by a new prevailing reality complementing the fourth estate.

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