Friday, March 6, 2015

I Don't Often Rant

First it was church, then White Spot hamburgers (my passion), then my life-long newspaper subscription, then my car—that was huge—then my landline and now I think I am going to give up cable. The news is killing me. Last night I watched the news on PBS and was reminded of how elegant and intelligent news reporting could be. But I want local news and local broadcasts appall me. To me, they have become grotesque.

I find Dawna Friesen and Wendy Mesley particularly revolting. They are probably lovely humans, but their professional selves sicken me. I have no idea of knowing whom to blame. Is it them? Is it their directors? Are we to blame? Do we demand this kind of infotainment?

“A family of 12 were killed in Pakistan today. How? Find out after this message. We’ll be right back.”

(Heartfelt) “That was a sad, sad story, Christie. And now, here’s something you’ll enjoy. The expression shouldn’t be henpecked, it should be penguin-pecked and here’s our nature correspondent, [couldn't catch her name], to tell you why.”

And who decided “news” is bad news. Why is news virtually exclusively about disasters, immorality and crime? Who decided that would be how things would be? Why does only this kind of information interest us? It doesn’t interest me to the exclusion of enlightening and uplifting news. We perpetuate the activities we abhor by celebrating them in the news and we fail to mirror and celebrate positive behavior. WTF?

And while I am at it… how have we allowed faith been hijacked by zealots who care more about rules and exclusivity that inclusivity, acceptance and understanding?


Now I understand why I recreationally peruse island and rural real estate. The world is too much with me.

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