Rally To Restoe Sanity and/or Fear
Discussion
Here's satirist Jon Stewart's speech to several hundred thousand people gathered in Washington yesterday afternoon.
The video can be found at the bottom of the linked page.
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/jon-stewart-explains-th...
In it, he talks of the abdication by the news media of its responsibilities as the "Fourth Estate" and the dangers to society that can come from this state of affairs.
I believe that what he says can be aimed out our news media too.
"Sell them fear", seems to me to be the narrative all too often resorted to these days.
Have a look. See what you think.
Or don't.
The video can be found at the bottom of the linked page.
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/jon-stewart-explains-th...
In it, he talks of the abdication by the news media of its responsibilities as the "Fourth Estate" and the dangers to society that can come from this state of affairs.
I believe that what he says can be aimed out our news media too.
"Sell them fear", seems to me to be the narrative all too often resorted to these days.
Have a look. See what you think.
Or don't.
Edited by Blib on Sunday 31st October 01:03
collateral said:
I watch Daily Show and Colbert from the UK with this method
Thanks for that!I watch Stewart religiously (sic) on More Four. But, I haven't seen the Colbert show yet. Am I right in assuming that we get a half hour version of an hour long show in Stewart's case?
The only thing I seem to disagree with on Stewart's show is his "on message" treatment of MMGW.
I only wish that his team got stuck into that subject.
Blib said:
Am I right in assuming that we get a half hour version of an hour long show in Stewart's case?
No its a half hour show in the states as well although they cram in 2 advert breaks instead of the UK's 1.The show can be quite heavily edited to go on air at 8:30pm in the UK hence some of jumps when Jon speaks to his correspondents in the studio. Or blurring of certain graphics.
collateral said:
I watch Daily Show and Colbert from the UK with this method
The Colbert Report was on FX during the 2008 election campaign - I was gutted when I could no longer find it. Thanks for that link - I'll give it a try tonight. Would have loved to have been at the rally. It's about time someone stood up for the balanced-yet-moderately-peeved
Here's the transcript for all those who can't or don't want to watch the video.
I wouldn't be surprised to see Stewart run for office in the future.
I wouldn't be surprised to see Stewart run for office in the future.
Stewart said:
"I can't control what people think this was. I can only tell you my intentions. This was not a rally to ridicule people of faith. Or people of activism or to look down our noses at the heartland or passionate argument or to suggest that times are not difficult and that we have nothing to fear. They are and we do. But we live now in hard times, not end times. And we can have animus and not be enemies.
Unfortunately, one of our main tools in delineating the two broke. The country's 24-hour politico pundit panic conflict-onator did not cause our problems, but its existence makes solving them that much harder. The press can hold its magnifying glass up to our problems and illuminate problems heretofore unseen, or it can use its magnifying glass to light ants on fire, and then perhaps host a week of shows on the sudden, unexpected dangerous-flaming-ant epidemic. If we amplify everything, we hear nothing.
There are terrorists and racists and Stalinists and theocrats, but those are titles that must be earned. You must have the resume. Not being able to distinguish between real racists and tea partiers, or real bigots and Juan Williams and Rich Sanchez is an insult -- not only to those people, but to the racists themselves, who have put forth the exhausting effort it takes to hate. Just as the inability to distinguish between terrorists and Muslims makes us less safe, not more.
The press is our immune system. If it overreacts to everything we eventually get sicker. And perhaps eczema. Yet, with that being said, I feel good. Strangely, calmly good, because the image of Americans that is reflected back to us by our political and media process is false. It is us through a funhouse mirror, and not the good kind that makes you slim and taller -- but the kind where you have a giant forehead and an ass like a pumpkin and one eyeball.
So, why would we work together? Why would you reach across the aisle to a pumpkin assed forehead eyeball monster? If the picture of us were true, our inability to solve problems would actually be quite sane and reasonable. Why would you work with Marxists actively subverting our Constitution or racists and homophobes who see no one’s humanity but their own? We hear every damn day about how fragile our country is -- on the brink of catastrophe -- torn by polarizing hate and how it’s a shame that we can’t work together to get things done, but the truth is we do. We work together to get things done every damn day. The only place we don't is here or on cable TV. Americans don't live here or on cable TV. Where we live our values and principles form the foundation that sustains us while we get things done, not the barriers that prevent us from getting things done.
Most Americans don't live their lives solely as Democrats or Republicans or conservatives or liberals. Most Americans live their lives that our just a little bit late for something they have to do. Often it’s something they do not want to do, but they do it. Impossible things get done every day that are only made possible by the little, reasonable compromises."
Stewart then plays a clip of cars merging before entering the Lincoln Tunnel in New Jersey
"These cars -- that’s a school teacher who thinks taxes are too high…there’s a mom with two kids who can’t think about anything else...another car, the lady’s in the NRA. She loves Oprah…An investment banker, gay, also likes Oprah…a Latino carpenter…a fundamentalist vacuum salesman…a Mormon Jay Z fan…But this is us. Everyone of the cars that you see is filled with individuals of strong belief and principles they hold dear -- often principles and beliefs in direct opposition to their fellow travelers.
And yet these millions of cars must somehow find a way to squeeze one by one into a mile-long, 30-foot wide tunnel carved underneath a mighty river…And they do it. Concession by concession. You go. Then I’ll go. You go, then I’ll go. You go, then I’ll go -- oh my god, is that an NRA sticker on your car, an Obama sticker on your car? Well, that’s OK. You go and then I’ll go…"Sure, at some point there will be a selfish jerk who zips up the shoulder and cuts in at the last minute. But that individual is rare and he is scorned, and he is not hired as an analyst.
Because we know instinctively as a people that if we are to get through the darkness and back into the light we have to work together and the truth is, there will always be darkness. And sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t the promised land. Sometimes it’s just New Jersey. But we do it anyway, together.
If you want to know why I’m here and what I want from you I can only assure you this: you have already given it to me. You’re presence was what I wanted. Sanity will always be and has always been in the eye of the beholder. To see you here today and the kind of people that you are has restored mine. Thank you."
Unfortunately, one of our main tools in delineating the two broke. The country's 24-hour politico pundit panic conflict-onator did not cause our problems, but its existence makes solving them that much harder. The press can hold its magnifying glass up to our problems and illuminate problems heretofore unseen, or it can use its magnifying glass to light ants on fire, and then perhaps host a week of shows on the sudden, unexpected dangerous-flaming-ant epidemic. If we amplify everything, we hear nothing.
There are terrorists and racists and Stalinists and theocrats, but those are titles that must be earned. You must have the resume. Not being able to distinguish between real racists and tea partiers, or real bigots and Juan Williams and Rich Sanchez is an insult -- not only to those people, but to the racists themselves, who have put forth the exhausting effort it takes to hate. Just as the inability to distinguish between terrorists and Muslims makes us less safe, not more.
The press is our immune system. If it overreacts to everything we eventually get sicker. And perhaps eczema. Yet, with that being said, I feel good. Strangely, calmly good, because the image of Americans that is reflected back to us by our political and media process is false. It is us through a funhouse mirror, and not the good kind that makes you slim and taller -- but the kind where you have a giant forehead and an ass like a pumpkin and one eyeball.
So, why would we work together? Why would you reach across the aisle to a pumpkin assed forehead eyeball monster? If the picture of us were true, our inability to solve problems would actually be quite sane and reasonable. Why would you work with Marxists actively subverting our Constitution or racists and homophobes who see no one’s humanity but their own? We hear every damn day about how fragile our country is -- on the brink of catastrophe -- torn by polarizing hate and how it’s a shame that we can’t work together to get things done, but the truth is we do. We work together to get things done every damn day. The only place we don't is here or on cable TV. Americans don't live here or on cable TV. Where we live our values and principles form the foundation that sustains us while we get things done, not the barriers that prevent us from getting things done.
Most Americans don't live their lives solely as Democrats or Republicans or conservatives or liberals. Most Americans live their lives that our just a little bit late for something they have to do. Often it’s something they do not want to do, but they do it. Impossible things get done every day that are only made possible by the little, reasonable compromises."
Stewart then plays a clip of cars merging before entering the Lincoln Tunnel in New Jersey
"These cars -- that’s a school teacher who thinks taxes are too high…there’s a mom with two kids who can’t think about anything else...another car, the lady’s in the NRA. She loves Oprah…An investment banker, gay, also likes Oprah…a Latino carpenter…a fundamentalist vacuum salesman…a Mormon Jay Z fan…But this is us. Everyone of the cars that you see is filled with individuals of strong belief and principles they hold dear -- often principles and beliefs in direct opposition to their fellow travelers.
And yet these millions of cars must somehow find a way to squeeze one by one into a mile-long, 30-foot wide tunnel carved underneath a mighty river…And they do it. Concession by concession. You go. Then I’ll go. You go, then I’ll go. You go, then I’ll go -- oh my god, is that an NRA sticker on your car, an Obama sticker on your car? Well, that’s OK. You go and then I’ll go…"Sure, at some point there will be a selfish jerk who zips up the shoulder and cuts in at the last minute. But that individual is rare and he is scorned, and he is not hired as an analyst.
Because we know instinctively as a people that if we are to get through the darkness and back into the light we have to work together and the truth is, there will always be darkness. And sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t the promised land. Sometimes it’s just New Jersey. But we do it anyway, together.
If you want to know why I’m here and what I want from you I can only assure you this: you have already given it to me. You’re presence was what I wanted. Sanity will always be and has always been in the eye of the beholder. To see you here today and the kind of people that you are has restored mine. Thank you."
Stewart said:
The country's 24-hour politico pundit panic conflict-onator did not cause our problems, but its existence makes solving them that much harder.
This is increasingly the problem here in Britain too.Not only do the media insist on scaremongering. We also have the problem of politicians and media being too close to each other. The knowing smiles and use of first names during interviews really annoys me.
We are fast approaching the point where there is little or nothing which can hold our Dear Leaders to account.
Plus, 24 hour news demands drama, controversy and fear to justify its very existence.
It is also increasingly prey to giving us 'opinion' rather than news. How many times do we hear the phrase, "But critics say....Blah,blah,blah" after a report?
Many times a week.
It may be apocryphal. But I remember a tale of a pre War news report on radio where the announcer says something along the lines of, "There's no news today. So, instead, here's some music".
I yearn to a return to those days of "right sizing" the importance of the news.
[/soapbox]
Blib said:
I yearn to a return to those days of "right sizing" the importance of the news.
Couldn't agree more. The 'dumbing down' of the news is so utterely objectionable it's painfull. Premiership footballers transfer whims are NOT worthy front page or first, second, or even third items on national news. The public has come to accept it and even demand that they are, while they are in some x-factor induced coma. It's all pretty Orwellian.Hope someone found the link useful. It makes everything on the Comedy Central site work from elsewhere - lots of South Park on there if that's your thing. iirc that method came to light when someone who works for Daily Show posted it on their own forum!
The only downside I've found is that the speedtest website thinks I'm somewhere on the East coast.
Apparently there is live coverage tonight, but I don't know if that will be online.
The only downside I've found is that the speedtest website thinks I'm somewhere on the East coast.
Apparently there is live coverage tonight, but I don't know if that will be online.
neilr said:
Blib said:
I yearn to a return to those days of "right sizing" the importance of the news.
Couldn't agree more. The 'dumbing down' of the news is so utterely objectionable it's painfull. Premiership footballers transfer whims are NOT worthy front page or first, second, or even third items on national news. The public has come to accept it and even demand that they are, while they are in some x-factor induced coma. It's all pretty Orwellian.It's Huxleyian.
The "news" media is our soma.
CommanderJameson said:
neilr said:
Blib said:
I yearn to a return to those days of "right sizing" the importance of the news.
Couldn't agree more. The 'dumbing down' of the news is so utterely objectionable it's painfull. Premiership footballers transfer whims are NOT worthy front page or first, second, or even third items on national news. The public has come to accept it and even demand that they are, while they are in some x-factor induced coma. It's all pretty Orwellian.It's Huxleyian.
The "news" media is our soma.
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