Just a thought, I realize that times are harder than what we are used to. I get it. I too, am not immune to the economic spiraling of our times, but I think that the media thrives off of bad news and they help put more fear into the people than is necessary and sometimes it gets me angry that the psychological fear that they promote causes us stress. Anyone else think so too?
Does anyone else think the media promotes fear in us??
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Yes, the media does add additional stress. I don't think we hear all the bad things there is to hear. I don't believe that everything is told as it should be. The government controls alot of what is released to the media and I don't think we know the half of it (as far as how bad things really are). They don't want to create a panic therefore only giving us enough to cause concern but not panic.
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Absolutely! What's that old saying, "if it bleeds, it leads". All they want to cover is the awful news, the murders, the violence, the layoffs, "worst unemployment ever", and the like.
But I think what is worse than that is the speculation. Once they run out of hard "news", like this month's unemployment numbers or the vote on the bailout, they get any number of "experts" writing articles or interviewing on tv with all kinds of doom-and-gloom speculation and conjecture. These people throw opinions around and it goes from one source to another like that old rumor game, where at the end of line you have something far different that what you started with.
Once they stop reporting facts, I stop listening.
But I think what is worse than that is the speculation. Once they run out of hard "news", like this month's unemployment numbers or the vote on the bailout, they get any number of "experts" writing articles or interviewing on tv with all kinds of doom-and-gloom speculation and conjecture. These people throw opinions around and it goes from one source to another like that old rumor game, where at the end of line you have something far different that what you started with.
Once they stop reporting facts, I stop listening.
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What she said.
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I went to Canada on a business trip a few years ago. The difference between the news I watched there, and the news here, was night and day. Reminds me of the song, "Dirty Laundry." The more salacious, the more prime-time coverage it gets.
We'll joke around about the news at my office. The standard quote is, "Coming up at Five: What is in your drinking water that can kill you!!!" Just a recognition of how t.v. tries to engender fear in all of us.
We'll joke around about the news at my office. The standard quote is, "Coming up at Five: What is in your drinking water that can kill you!!!" Just a recognition of how t.v. tries to engender fear in all of us.
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15,461 Posts
ABSOLUTELY! I watch about the first 5 minutes of the news and that's it. Once per day...or read it online. I find it's easier to glean the real news and forgo the sensationalism online, plus something about not 'hearing it over and over again' seems to preserve my positive attitude. I think that about 1/3 of what's going on with the economy right now is caused by the media overkill. Seriously they have people scared to death to spend a dime, hence retailers and everyone else that sells, manufactures, distributes, etc...is hurting. As for me and my house, we shall carry on.......
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Like the above posters have said I only watch very little of my local news anymore. The election and the ecomony have done me in. I do better not watching.
My best friend watches the news all day long so if something like the collapse of the planet happened she is to call me otherwise don't tell me. I know we are in hard times, but I don't need to be sent to the hospital over it. Stress is an evil thing and the media wants everyone in fear because like everyone knows bad news gets people watching to see what horrible thing is going to be next.
My best friend watches the news all day long so if something like the collapse of the planet happened she is to call me otherwise don't tell me. I know we are in hard times, but I don't need to be sent to the hospital over it. Stress is an evil thing and the media wants everyone in fear because like everyone knows bad news gets people watching to see what horrible thing is going to be next.
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The quote I always heard was, "Sex sells." :hubba: LOL
Gloom & doom, sensationalism and scandal....but, I only watch for the weather. LOL
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I watch the news..and visit news websites..and write long detailed bloggy thingies about the news.
But if you really pay attention (as you all obviously do) to what is being said (albeit in a distortion chamber and OVER AND OVER AND OVER) then you realize that it's almost ALL fear mongering, innuendo,rumor, opinion, and most importantly a DISTRACTION.
The obvious question is not: Which group is right? But rather: What are they trying to distract you FROM?
There are lots of conspiracy theories, but IMHO the truth is so much simpler and so much more frightening.
They are distracting you..from YOU.
Face it, you decide when to spend. You decide when to save.You decide whom to vote for. You decide what to buy. And you decide when to riot.
If you are scared and confused and worried, your natural reaction is to hunker down, draw back into your own shell, and stop looking at it. That's normal. We've all been told that WE can't do anything about any of it anyway.
So..WE run this country, because WE fund this country.
Trust me, they don't EVER want you to really get that into your head. They'd rather see you scared and imobilized, or watching American Idle (mispelling intentional).
Because once we realize that WE have a lot more in common than WE have differences, how would they stop us.
But if you really pay attention (as you all obviously do) to what is being said (albeit in a distortion chamber and OVER AND OVER AND OVER) then you realize that it's almost ALL fear mongering, innuendo,rumor, opinion, and most importantly a DISTRACTION.
The obvious question is not: Which group is right? But rather: What are they trying to distract you FROM?
There are lots of conspiracy theories, but IMHO the truth is so much simpler and so much more frightening.
They are distracting you..from YOU.
Face it, you decide when to spend. You decide when to save.You decide whom to vote for. You decide what to buy. And you decide when to riot.
If you are scared and confused and worried, your natural reaction is to hunker down, draw back into your own shell, and stop looking at it. That's normal. We've all been told that WE can't do anything about any of it anyway.
So..WE run this country, because WE fund this country.
Trust me, they don't EVER want you to really get that into your head. They'd rather see you scared and imobilized, or watching American Idle (mispelling intentional).
Because once we realize that WE have a lot more in common than WE have differences, how would they stop us.
For sure! I know here in FL the Casey/Caylee Anthony story is still being talked about on TV and in the papers. They continuously showed the same video of Caylee and her great GF over and over. It just made you feel worse everytime you saw it. Me and hubby couldn't bear to watch it after they found her bones. You just wanted to cry your eyes out! It was overdone and unnecessary to the point of very bad taste, and way too much unthoughtfulness for the viewers. :shake:
I know my post isn't about the economy, but I was pointing out in agreement with those who said they just want to show all the bad stuff. I couldn't agree more!
As far as the economy goes, I also agree 100% with Debbie-Cat!
JMTC
Theresa
I know my post isn't about the economy, but I was pointing out in agreement with those who said they just want to show all the bad stuff. I couldn't agree more!
As far as the economy goes, I also agree 100% with Debbie-Cat!
JMTC
Theresa
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I think the media can only promote fear to those who let it. Dh and I used to have the ritual of starting the day and ending the day with the news. We've stopped doing that. We now watch the weather channel in the morning (although, these days, that's bleak too ) then watch other stuff at night!
We understand that everything is bad, but we've planned for the worst and that is all we can do. Worrying anymore about our situation is not helpful or healthy, so we just chose to ignore it!
We now read the paper (online, heck, I'm not paying for a subscription to bad news), and can pick and choose what stories we want to read!
) then watch other stuff at night!We understand that everything is bad, but we've planned for the worst and that is all we can do. Worrying anymore about our situation is not helpful or healthy, so we just chose to ignore it!
We now read the paper (online, heck, I'm not paying for a subscription to bad news), and can pick and choose what stories we want to read!
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How was it different in Canada?
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I agree that there's nothing but doom and gloom. I don't watch it. I catch highlights on the radio when my alarm goes off in the morning, if there's something interesting, I will go online. Otherwise, I don't. I try not to read much. I've researched what the new budget was, and what it means as a family. And beyond that... I don't know.
When growing up, I don't remember hearing about school shooting, or things like that for weeks on end. I think the media has to rethink things. Yes people have the right to know, but somethings are better left private. The ideas given to the unstable are multiplying exponentially and more and more bad will occur.
What happened to the small town mentality? Who won this contest, who got what honor. Who is the hero of the day? Where is the positive in 2009? I'd like to know.
When growing up, I don't remember hearing about school shooting, or things like that for weeks on end. I think the media has to rethink things. Yes people have the right to know, but somethings are better left private. The ideas given to the unstable are multiplying exponentially and more and more bad will occur.
What happened to the small town mentality? Who won this contest, who got what honor. Who is the hero of the day? Where is the positive in 2009? I'd like to know.
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It does, but only to the people who are afraid they'll never get any otherwise.
See? It all boils down to fear!
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One thing I notice is that I'll hear of a non-breaking news story on the tv and then later see it in the paper and then it is somewhere else.
Like they must all get their "news" from the same place.
Example, when gas prices were high, I saw on the news that if you didn't drive many miles, you could request a low-mileage discount from your auto insurer. Now this isn't new, it's always been this way. But in the span of 24 hours, I saw this idea on tv, internet news and the newspaper. Same thing with laidoff dads taking over the homemaking and mom heading to work. Saw it in the Boston Globe on Sunday and on Monday CNN did a segment on it.
Like they must all get their "news" from the same place.
Example, when gas prices were high, I saw on the news that if you didn't drive many miles, you could request a low-mileage discount from your auto insurer. Now this isn't new, it's always been this way. But in the span of 24 hours, I saw this idea on tv, internet news and the newspaper. Same thing with laidoff dads taking over the homemaking and mom heading to work. Saw it in the Boston Globe on Sunday and on Monday CNN did a segment on it.
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