| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
khyber
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Compunction Junction
|
 Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 11:38 pm Post subject: Why is news important AND How did it become important? |
 |
|
I've read the Neil Postman book "Amusing Ourselves to Death" and it got me thinking, why the hell good do news programs do? Since when (and WHY?) has uzbeki chocolate bar recalls important to me?
What makes the whole thing so strange is the PASSION people argue with when, practically speaking, they have little to no reference OR experience with which to base their opinion.
why do you read the news? What's so great about "being informed"? |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
laogaiguk
Joined: 06 Dec 2005
Location: somewhere in Korea
|
| Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 11:43 pm Post subject: Re: Why is news important AND How did it become important? |
|
|
| khyber wrote: |
why do you read the news? What's so great about "being informed"? |
 It's human nature to want to learn. Plus, it's good to know things like, "I should be careful with spinach." or "There has been a recall of ABC laptops due to catching fire" etc etc.
Also, most local stations pick up all the good news. It's only the big news shows that have all the "fear for you life" and "you are not safe" kind of stuff. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ddeubel
Joined: 20 Jul 2005
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 3:35 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| It's human nature to want to learn. Plus, it's good to know things like, "I should be careful with spinach." or "There has been a recall of ABC laptops due to catching fire" etc etc. |
I can see yu've also read Postman's "The End of Education" , for that's what it is all about........maintaining curiousity, a relationship between past/present / future. A thing our schools do a piss poor job of.
I do agree, too many people spend too much time NOT cultivating their jardin. But i disagree it is totally without merit. It is all HOW it is done, not the WHAT in particular. You can be engaged by a strip show or a blade of grass..........but in both cases it is the "being engaged" that counts and not the particular feature of experience.
Though I do see so much truth in that beautiful but as always sad snip of Schopenhauer, "once you know the principals, there is no need of the particulars.". I guess many of us, still are learning the principals. .....
DD
Thanks for the mention of Postman, with Illych, a social commentator so often overlooked. Though I much prefer Mailer, when he talked about education and the American mind.... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
