News

[poliphilo]

As soon as Egypt exploded the TV news stopped bothering with Tunisia and as soon as Libya exploded the TV news stopped bothering with Egypt. 

The pictures coming out of Libya are still dramatic enough to hold the attention of the broadcasters, but only just- and they've been pushed way down the agenda by the troubles in Japan. 

This isn't journalism, it's tornado chasing. 

Comments

[haikujaguar.livejournal.com]

Honestly I don't watch it. I get a precis of what's going on from friends and ignore everything else. Affecting my local environment uses up enough of my emotional/physical energy without flailing about what's going on in countries I can't do anything in.

I sometimes feel like this is an exceptionally provincial attitude. I remember feeling smugly superior to parents who said they have too much to do without sending money to Egypt or doing charity for Japan. Now that I have a kid, I suddenly realize how much energy it takes just to be a sane mother and good role model, and as always, another one of my young adult fantasies is dashed by experience. :,

[calizen.livejournal.com]

Regarding being overwhelmed by the news, the late great Brit, Alistair Cooke once wrote: "“In the best of times, our days are numbered anyway. So it would be a crime against nature for any generation to take the world crisis so solemnly, that it put off enjoying those things for which we were designed in the 1st place: the opportunity to do good work, to enjoy friends, to fall in love, to hit a ball, and to bounce a baby.”

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I love Alastair Cooke. I grew up listening to his weekly radio broadcast "Letter from America".