Does the news upset you? Heres some tips on that from L. Michael Hall. Enjoy! Consider the Nature of “The News” Here is something equally important. Get acquainted with what the news is here in the 21st century, who creates it, the biases the creators operate from, and their intentions. The News is by no means pure information— unbiased and without filters. Created by human being with intentions, assumptions, biases, agendas and created to fulfill a purpose for a given business, the news is highly prejudicial. What is the psychology of the News? ∙ Sensational. What makes “news” is what is not normal. It is what is out-of-the-norm and so what is sensational. In fact, the more sensational, the better. If something blew up, if a train derailed and tore through a house or a city, if an accident occurred, these are sensational things. Better yet, if a war starts— now “That’s news!” ∙ Negative. As negative emotions (fear, anger, sadness, frustration, grief, etc.) are much more compelling and sensational than positive emotions (delight, calm, joy, learning, compassion, passion, relaxation, etc.), so it is bad news that sells much more than good news. Bad news gets our attention as it shouts that there’s a problem that may be threatening me. If someone shots a gun and wounds, that’s much more exciting news, than if someone stabs people with a knife. ∙ Right now. News is news only when it is “new.” As soon as it is old (“That’s old news; that was in yesterday’s newspaper”), it is no longer interesting. This gives the news a very short focus—hence the short-term vision of the news. Things that develop over time (which is most things) don’t seem to fit the 24/7 news cycle in this century. In reporting the news reporters like to have an opening and closing to the story. ∙ The Rich, the Famous, the Celebrities. News also seems to be primarily focused on those who are living the life that we want—those at the top of the social ladder. While “the man on the street” gets some coverage from time to time, it is mostly focused on those who are presented as our societal heros—the glamorous, the wealthy, sports and movie stars, etc. ∙ For Profit. News today is a business. Whether it is newspapers, magazines, TV, cable news, blogs, online news, and so on—the news is offered as a commodity on the market and as such needs people who will buy. Accordingly, networks and publishers of news choose their market and deliver the news to those with a certain bias— conservative, liberal, radical. So part of critical thinking has to be considering the source. What biases may be behind selecting this story, presenting it as they do, what agenda could this be serving? Watch it— Reflect Upon It — Learn from It None of us can swallow the news whole, not as it is given to us, not in this century. To do so is unwise. Today we have to filter it. We have to test it— test its validity, its reality, its source. “Test (prove) all things; hold fast to that which is good.” We have to balance views to hear both or multiple sides so as to expose assumptive frames of the authors and to chase out the biases used in creating the news. Having proper definitions stops many negative energy maladaptations. questions? Comments? Dr. John La Tourrette
Posted on: Sun, 20 Jul 2014 20:40:24 +0000
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