As an author I spend a lot of time on my laptop writing. Funny thing that, eh? When I begin my writing in the morning I catch up on the news on television. As my day progresses the television becomes nothing more than a background noise. When I stop for tea I pay attention to the television again only to be confronted with the exact same news that was on in the morning.
Surely something somewhere in the world has changed significantly enough to make it onto the news. I have a conspiracy theory. I think that all off these television producers gather at night and put together a ‘loop’ of stories for the following day.
I also can’t help but notice that the news is filled with stories of terrorism, horrific car crashes, murders, people getting eaten by wild animals and so forth. The sad part is, we can’t get enough of it. Be honest with yourself here. Whenever footage of that horrible September 11 attack is broadcast, do you turn away or change channel?
There was a town in New South Wales, Australia several years ago that decided to start a regional newspaper that only printed positive stories. It lasted six weeks. It seems to me that people actually enjoy the bad news in life. It must be part of the human condition.
Have we become desensitized to the positive things in life? I don’t think so….unless you rely solely on the television to get your news. The talk in coffee shops and bars is much more upbeat. That’s because it’s real.
I treat the television with skepticism. We are spoon fed what the powers that be (whoever they are) want us to know.
This begs the question, what’s really going on?
Bob Findlay Thoughts 