“The same boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It’s what you’re made of. Not the circumstances.” – Unknown
What is going on today? All of this confusing information coming at us from all angles, all from conflicting “experts” depending on what news channel you decide you want to watch. If at any time you thought people were crazy for thinking the media can manipulate the masses then you haven’t been paying very close attention, especially during the last few months. It has seen more people herded this way and that, then cattle along the Great Western Cattle Trail.
Here is a great video, courtesy of @Adley (The Adley Show), on how clear the message has been during this pandemic. Give a watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVs5AyjzwRM&list=RDCMUCHF1cMzdBiws8A5boKAodmw&start_radio=1&t=4
It’s funny because its so true, everyone is so confused about what to do and what not to do that they are doing what they think they are supposed to do but aren’t sure because nobody knows what to do. This isn’t the first time this exact same “coverage” has went down, but it is the first time that it was so blatantly obvious. Say something to break the story first, then change with a correction, and then kind of change the story, then change again super close to the original story but with a few facts but nothing tasty enough so add a dash of kind of, but not really, true facts to keep people arguing about it. Got to remember to bring in your super biased panel of “experts” that never agree from one channel to the next channel, no channel ever brings back the same person that was just on another channel, why???
Because it isn’t the job to report the good, its the job to keep the chaos going, to help create the division. Whether its race, sexuality, politics, what province you live in, religion, war, hell even if you are a vegan or a meat eater. Its geared to make us at each others throats. To divide us. We have now started helping that with social media. Sharing half truths and baseless facts. I hear a lot of arguments saying social media is a big part of the problem, and I agree there is some crazy power, I used to argue that exact same fact, and sometimes I still do; you know the whole Devil’s Advocate thing I referred to in my About Me page. But, we choose what to share, read, like. We choose how to respond to others posts, how to comment on others posts, whether it be someone you know or someone you don’t know. How do you respond? Do you take the high road or do you get in the sewers?
Media, both mainstream and social, has the power to sway the 1-2% vote in an election, you don’t need Russia colluding. The machine that is our own media can collude with whomever and put it out there for the masses to watch, to drive their views, to cause uproar, to cause division. But you have a choice, you can be a part of the problem, sharing outdated information or stories because it aligns with your point, or you can use social media to be social, to connect with people. Why do we need to share opinion pieces from news outlets, I can watch/read the news whenever I want, it’s 2020, I don’t need to see it when I’m trying to watch a squirrel on water skis. Rural local news is great online, especially paired with a page on social media. It’s cheaper for the local news to stay open and keeps the community or neighborhood up to date. Also lets be honest, we were six or seven years old on the front page of our local rural newspaper for winning softball provincials, that was the biggest news of the WEEK!!! But the rural papers are a lot more… honest. They don’t try and sell you on the latest breaking story, they inform you on what has happened when the facts have come in. Which is what all news outlets should be doing.
I’m not talking about the town gossip either, nobody needs that. Gossip is one of the biggest disgraces in our society. It gives some people the thought that they have the right to be talking about someone else, even if they don’t have all the information. Don’t tell a story if it isn’t yours to tell, simple. Gossip is a more cowardly way of bullying, one that is publicized as being OK. How many gossip shows are there now on TV, it’s crazy. So many now that the news stations are following suit, because it sells. But that is our fault, we choose to buy it. If we didn’t buy they wouldn’t sell. Its quite elaborate, but very simply based, the science used to selling us everything. Read “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg, it is amazing to read what is happening all around us that we don’t even think about.
The weirdest part I have found with people who like to gossip though are the same people that are saying bullying is not OK!! We need to stop treating people so harshly!! Don’t judge people!! But, and here’s the kicker, the very next breath they are screaming that everybody that is a supporter of whoever are all stupid idiots!! So let me get this straight, Bullying is not OK… Unless you are putting down people that don’t share the same opinion as you? No! OK, how about… You can bully someone if everyone around you has the same opinion of that person? Still No! Hmm, how about, I as one single person can call over 60 million people stupid idiots because I think I am better then everyone? No! well I don’t know then. Maybe don’t stand strong on a point and contradict yourself the very next, or at least admit that you’re doing it.
“The Art of War” by Sun Tzu is a great book, it has been studied by business professionals, all levels of military as well as in politics. It has been broken down piece by piece because it is so tactful, it is proven. I suggest you give it a read, especially chapter 6, it might open your eyes a bit to the other side, you can read the verses in the book and apply it exactly to what is going on around you right now. Maybe once people can understand how it all works, then we can make it better. You wouldn’t ask your accountant to rebuild your transmission, as you wouldn’t let your mechanic file your taxes because neither understands how the other works.
There are opinions from both sides, lets do our part and listen to both rather then the one you want to hear and run with it. This world can taint us, make us jaded or it can enlighten and inspire us for more. It all depends on what you are made of, depends on what kind of person you aspire to be. Depends if you are willing to look and try to understand the other side of the coin.
DMKK
The Other Side of the Coin 