I saw a delightful movie Saturday - Peepli (Live). It's an Indian film, and a satire on a serious problem in India, the rash of suicides of farmers. It depicts the hollowness of the news media, and the ruthless manipulation of human beings for "story". It's very funny, and well acted. It seems the news media in every culture has devolved into a distraction from what is important to obscure situations which we might actually change, if we made the effort and brought what was important to the forefront of discussions. I can't even stomach PBS any more. The stories are locked into the same box of helplessness and deja vu. Everyone thinks in sound bites, and the natural flow of discussion is truncated to the point of inanity.
I am most offended currently with the talking heads trying to persuade us that we should give money to Pakistan or it will turn to other countries and our opportunity to gain their respect will be lost.
Excuse me? People are dying. Women and children mostly. But we should help only if it benefits our foreign policy objectives! What happened to do the right thing? What happened to the upside of saving lives. There but for the grace of god go us. We are all people who can and do suffer. No one should starve or die of thrust. End of story.
Don't attempt to manipulate me with self interest. Respect me. Hello out there - is anyone actually listening? Or just yammering, so loudly, that they have forgotten what is basic and true.
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