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Ty Garfield Editor in Chief Two powerful physio-psycho stimulus humans experience are sexuality and fear. Sexual stimulus is old-hat among our peers; the more exciting stimulus is fear. During a viewing of Michael Moore's 'Bowling for Columbine', the phrase 'culture of fear' was used to describe the paranoia Americans, particularly Euro-Americans, experience from their media consumption. Moore interviews a producer of 'Cops' and queries why 99 percent of arrests on the program are of young, African males. With great trepidation, the producer says he has no explanation; those were the arrests that were recorded. So, I began to question myself. How is that possible? The idea, that young, African males commit more crime, is not laughable, it's disgusting. Are we indoctrinated to fear one another? Has the oft-labeled 'liberal' press perpetuated a stereotype? Goddamn right it has! The images are tailored to strike a fear response and the hook keeps you glued to the station. "Are your children safe in urban schools? Tune in at 10:30 and we'll show you the dangers." Cut to an African-American teen spread over the back of a police car. Does this not seem just a tinsy-winsy bit staged? I'm not saying media consumption is for the stupid. Consumers are misled to believe what they are watching in information. CNN had reached a pinnacle of crappiness during the investigation into the recent murders near Washington D.C. One evening, Larry King interviewed Aaron Brown and Paula Zahn regarding their perspectives on the case. All of these people are CNN anchors! Who cares what they think of the case! They are talking heads used to spew factoids and sound-bytes at you. They serve little more purpose than the Ebbtide's sock puppet. Euro-Americans root in a sty of misinformation. Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, racial profiling and airport security are only a few of the topics that real information is scarce on. In "Writing and Reporting, A Coaching Method" Carole Rich breaks down a thirty-minute news broadcast. Within that break down 10 minutes total are allotted for news. Ten minutes? It takes longer than ten minutes to shower in the morning. Coming out of 'Bowling for Columbine' I tried an experiment. I began looking people in the eye as I walked home. I'd smile and nod. Sounds rather 'Pollyanna' but it works. I found myself with less anxiety walking through my neighborhood. I'm trying to disseminate the information I'm diluted with and take in for the small nuggets of truth. © 2002 Shoreline Community College™ |