[deacsoft]

I hate and never watch/read the news. I just can't seem to understand why anyone would want to watch/read the news. Better than 80% of it is bullshit anyway. There's never anything but bad news. It will rarely to next to never effect you personally or anyone you know. It's not nearly as entertaining as just about anything else on TV or other magazines/books. (for the record: i don't watch TV either but I have in the past) So why?

I came up with the following possibilities and consider them to be "most likely".

1) The US propaganda machine is just too good. It got the general public so hooked and brainwashed that they just can't get enough of what's happening. They really believe that "Clooney has 'spinal cap' surgery" (New York Post) is going to effect their lives. They think all the war stories from the Middle East are accurate. They think all the efforts over there are for "freedom" and to "preserve American" just like the news says. Why do you think there is a federal office overseeing everything that you read and see on TV?

2) The public just wouldn't know what to talk about if it wasn't for the news. The public needs to have a bunch of bullshit to gossip about or they wouldn't know what to do with themselves. They have to be informed just in case someone asks them so as not to appear dumb. They need to be able to discuss how "Chicago Sun-Times Top Editor Heads to Daily News" and wether or not it was a good move and how it will affect the lives of everyone over dinner or coffee.

3) Anyhting bad is worth hearing, because it's not typical. Therefore, the story, Second Kashmir 'ceasefire breach'"(LA Times) is appealing because maybe someone died. Because death and the subject of death is taboo but the public's curiosity is uncontrollable. And because the news is socially acceptable they can satisfy their morbid curiosities and not embarrass themselves at the same time. So they watch or read day after day night, after night because there's no news like bad news.


I'm no expert. These are just my thoughts. My rant.