I am not a Trekker so don't know anything about the references made from that series, but regardless I have found nearly all of your postings to be fair and well balanced so had already elevated you to unicorn status (a very small herd by the way) and this article is no exception. This mess the media and DNC are now in, and consequently caused all the rest of us to be part of, has been nearly 100% self inflicted. If everyone had only stayed in their own lanes these past many years, Donald Trump would already be in the dustbin of history yet sadly here we all are.
Pretty good piece, as usual Steve. My main critique would be that you too often fall on criticizing "the media" as the fault of many of our problems. This is oft repeated elsewhere (and in the comments here, too). While there are some specific and legitimate gripes in this area, I find most people use "the media" as a scapegoat and a way of being lazy about calling out exactly what the problem is.
My issue with "the media" is that it isn't anywhere near a monolithic thing ... especially in this era--the media is everywhere and everything. And even if you just mean the legacy or mainstream media--they don't work for the same master. To the extent their motivations are aligned, it's to make their corporate masters' some money -- i.e. drive clicks/views. So when "the media" makes everything about Trump and whatever cockamamie story he's pushing today, it's only b/c consumers of the media click it every damn time! Trump (and his imitators) knows this well, and manipulate it to their advantage. If one news site chooses to ignore a batshit crazy statement .... well, two others will certainly publish it (just see Newsweek on any day ending in "y").
So at the end of the day ... the voters who still choose to stick with Trump (despite--or perhaps on account of--all the outrageous details they know about him) are to blame.
One other reason I think to blame "the media" is wrong and lazy: I can't think of any real "fix" to that problem. I'd love to hear some genuine ideas here, though. Considering the First Amendment ... at one point long ago, I naively thought fact-checking was the answer, but that went nowhere. Some people are immune to facts, I guess! I really worry about this problem (and the other media as well: social media) b/c of the massive spread of mis/dis-information by those who definitely don't have the US' best intentions in mind. I just don't know...
I could not disagree more about your comments regarding the media. It is not the people who call the media out who are lazy, it is the very professionals that claim to practice journalism that are in fact lazy. Their very purpose for being is to investigate and report on those in power. It exists to be the voice of the average citizen who most often has no other avenue for that push back on holding forth on truth. As far as I’m concerned the legacy media have abandoned that core responsibility and we are all the worse for it.
I get your point, I really do… I just don’t know when your “ideal” world was ever true. It isn’t now, and I’m not sure it’s ever been so in my lifetime (I’m in my mid-40s).
The proliferation of media, which started in earnest with cable TV and really took off with the Internet, provides an infinite set of viewpoint-oriented options for consumers to pick from. And they’ve largely chosen to have their preexisting opinions parroted back to them.
I suspect you’ll agree with me that this fact is unfortunate, but it is what it is. And I would mostly blame media consumers for this unfortunate fact. Now you can easily blame the media for this problem, sure. But it’s pointless! Depending on how you define it, “the media” is made up of thousands (or more) people making decisions based on a multitude of motivations… both the personnel and the motivations are constantly changing (to varying degrees). Blaming the media does absolutely nothing productive. It doesn’t change the media. You’re just yelling into the wind. I guess it serves to weaken trust in the media—whatever of that remains at this point. But even then, everyone just assumes you’re complaining about the “other” media, and not the people telling them whatever they already believe!
So maybe it isn’t conveying my point to say complaining about the media is “lazy.” It just doesn’t help solve anything in my mind. The media is just going to keep doing what it’s doing so long as their overall motivations largely remain.
In all honestly, my position of blaming media consumers (or voters) suffers from the same problem. Short of improving our education system or changing culture so we seek out differing views from our own, I don’t see a solution. Somehow I feel better blaming the collective “us” instead the vague boogeyman of “the media.”
Anyways, that’s all I mean. I’m really tired of everyone getting fed up with a problem and complaining but offering no solution. That’s why I call it lazy: you get to be angry and self righteous without having to solve anything! :)
(Side note: I generally enjoy watching John Oliver’s Last Week Tonight, but he often suffers from railing against some ill while offering no fix!)
Then maybe a part of the solution is the majority, at least from legacy media, don’t get to call themselves journalists. I am in my mid 60’s, a news junkie, and can easily remember reading any multitude of articles in the past where the author’s personal leanings were very well veiled to the reader. A balanced approach to journalism should be the norm and not considered a high bar of achievement so while I can’t agree with you, I still sincerely appreciate hearing your perspective on the subject.
One last thought that you might agree with as far as a solution to the media problem is concerned could be Substack itself as I think most people who use this platform are looking for an alternative to the mess of our legacy media. So here’s hoping that maybe people are trying to do what they can to push for improvement after all 😊.
If Trump is elected, it will be the fault of the media and pundits. The crap you see in print and on TV is mostly what would be expected from highly partisan democrats. The focus for eight years has been on Trump, and it has recently turned more against the 80 million Trump voters who have become more set in their beliefs. The media and pundits have also badmouthed every alternative candidate for fear that they might prove more viable and give the Republicans a win.
If Trump wins, all the haters will have to get used to the idea that most voters do not want a fundamentally transformed America. They do not want a green new deal and a phony inflation reduction act. They do not want unauthorized spending of hundreds of billions of dollars by an Executive Branch that ignores the Constitution. They do not want the security threats, crime and welfare drain from opening the borders to millions of unvetted illegals. Many, such as Bob Barr and me, think that Trump might turn some of that around. If not, little damage will be done and there will be another election in 2028.
Sorry Steve, you lose me at Star trek. However if you want to do a deep dive into the Soprano's, i'm all in. I have to say the ending sucked. Is he? Isn't he? We'll never know because Tony had the big one (such a loss).
This times 10: "But one thing is clear: in 2021, at Trump’s second impeachment, the Senate had a clear duty to remove the president for his actions, and his inaction, on January 6th."
With that out of the way, how many of us ever saw the "real Joe Biden, up close and personal?" The handlers did a great job (and a real disservice) in hiding it. Was the media complicit? Probably, and maybe they too trusted their sources to not be BS'ing them. Fools if that's the case.
Here's the good news about our small "d" democracy: At least one party still has the capacity to look in the mirror and say; damn, we flocked up. It's not too late to shift gears and my money is on Joe having a come to Jesus meeting with none other than God and then stepping aside.
Nothing insures trump's well deserved loss, but it won't be delivered at the hands of JB.
I don't disagree, which is why The Bulwark has become such a staple in my political diet. While most writers have abandoned the republican party, their ties and loyalties are still rooted in conservatism. The crew is taking a pounding for their objective take on Biden going from the hard-core dems who joined thinking it was a Kumbaya fest. Reality is a bitch.
I am not a Trekker so don't know anything about the references made from that series, but regardless I have found nearly all of your postings to be fair and well balanced so had already elevated you to unicorn status (a very small herd by the way) and this article is no exception. This mess the media and DNC are now in, and consequently caused all the rest of us to be part of, has been nearly 100% self inflicted. If everyone had only stayed in their own lanes these past many years, Donald Trump would already be in the dustbin of history yet sadly here we all are.
It is truly sad.
Pretty good piece, as usual Steve. My main critique would be that you too often fall on criticizing "the media" as the fault of many of our problems. This is oft repeated elsewhere (and in the comments here, too). While there are some specific and legitimate gripes in this area, I find most people use "the media" as a scapegoat and a way of being lazy about calling out exactly what the problem is.
My issue with "the media" is that it isn't anywhere near a monolithic thing ... especially in this era--the media is everywhere and everything. And even if you just mean the legacy or mainstream media--they don't work for the same master. To the extent their motivations are aligned, it's to make their corporate masters' some money -- i.e. drive clicks/views. So when "the media" makes everything about Trump and whatever cockamamie story he's pushing today, it's only b/c consumers of the media click it every damn time! Trump (and his imitators) knows this well, and manipulate it to their advantage. If one news site chooses to ignore a batshit crazy statement .... well, two others will certainly publish it (just see Newsweek on any day ending in "y").
So at the end of the day ... the voters who still choose to stick with Trump (despite--or perhaps on account of--all the outrageous details they know about him) are to blame.
One other reason I think to blame "the media" is wrong and lazy: I can't think of any real "fix" to that problem. I'd love to hear some genuine ideas here, though. Considering the First Amendment ... at one point long ago, I naively thought fact-checking was the answer, but that went nowhere. Some people are immune to facts, I guess! I really worry about this problem (and the other media as well: social media) b/c of the massive spread of mis/dis-information by those who definitely don't have the US' best intentions in mind. I just don't know...
I could not disagree more about your comments regarding the media. It is not the people who call the media out who are lazy, it is the very professionals that claim to practice journalism that are in fact lazy. Their very purpose for being is to investigate and report on those in power. It exists to be the voice of the average citizen who most often has no other avenue for that push back on holding forth on truth. As far as I’m concerned the legacy media have abandoned that core responsibility and we are all the worse for it.
I get your point, I really do… I just don’t know when your “ideal” world was ever true. It isn’t now, and I’m not sure it’s ever been so in my lifetime (I’m in my mid-40s).
The proliferation of media, which started in earnest with cable TV and really took off with the Internet, provides an infinite set of viewpoint-oriented options for consumers to pick from. And they’ve largely chosen to have their preexisting opinions parroted back to them.
I suspect you’ll agree with me that this fact is unfortunate, but it is what it is. And I would mostly blame media consumers for this unfortunate fact. Now you can easily blame the media for this problem, sure. But it’s pointless! Depending on how you define it, “the media” is made up of thousands (or more) people making decisions based on a multitude of motivations… both the personnel and the motivations are constantly changing (to varying degrees). Blaming the media does absolutely nothing productive. It doesn’t change the media. You’re just yelling into the wind. I guess it serves to weaken trust in the media—whatever of that remains at this point. But even then, everyone just assumes you’re complaining about the “other” media, and not the people telling them whatever they already believe!
So maybe it isn’t conveying my point to say complaining about the media is “lazy.” It just doesn’t help solve anything in my mind. The media is just going to keep doing what it’s doing so long as their overall motivations largely remain.
In all honestly, my position of blaming media consumers (or voters) suffers from the same problem. Short of improving our education system or changing culture so we seek out differing views from our own, I don’t see a solution. Somehow I feel better blaming the collective “us” instead the vague boogeyman of “the media.”
Anyways, that’s all I mean. I’m really tired of everyone getting fed up with a problem and complaining but offering no solution. That’s why I call it lazy: you get to be angry and self righteous without having to solve anything! :)
(Side note: I generally enjoy watching John Oliver’s Last Week Tonight, but he often suffers from railing against some ill while offering no fix!)
Then maybe a part of the solution is the majority, at least from legacy media, don’t get to call themselves journalists. I am in my mid 60’s, a news junkie, and can easily remember reading any multitude of articles in the past where the author’s personal leanings were very well veiled to the reader. A balanced approach to journalism should be the norm and not considered a high bar of achievement so while I can’t agree with you, I still sincerely appreciate hearing your perspective on the subject.
One last thought that you might agree with as far as a solution to the media problem is concerned could be Substack itself as I think most people who use this platform are looking for an alternative to the mess of our legacy media. So here’s hoping that maybe people are trying to do what they can to push for improvement after all 😊.
I do hope you’re right. Thanks…
If Trump is elected, it will be the fault of the media and pundits. The crap you see in print and on TV is mostly what would be expected from highly partisan democrats. The focus for eight years has been on Trump, and it has recently turned more against the 80 million Trump voters who have become more set in their beliefs. The media and pundits have also badmouthed every alternative candidate for fear that they might prove more viable and give the Republicans a win.
If Trump wins, all the haters will have to get used to the idea that most voters do not want a fundamentally transformed America. They do not want a green new deal and a phony inflation reduction act. They do not want unauthorized spending of hundreds of billions of dollars by an Executive Branch that ignores the Constitution. They do not want the security threats, crime and welfare drain from opening the borders to millions of unvetted illegals. Many, such as Bob Barr and me, think that Trump might turn some of that around. If not, little damage will be done and there will be another election in 2028.
100% Curtis.
Thanks.
Sorry Steve, you lose me at Star trek. However if you want to do a deep dive into the Soprano's, i'm all in. I have to say the ending sucked. Is he? Isn't he? We'll never know because Tony had the big one (such a loss).
This times 10: "But one thing is clear: in 2021, at Trump’s second impeachment, the Senate had a clear duty to remove the president for his actions, and his inaction, on January 6th."
With that out of the way, how many of us ever saw the "real Joe Biden, up close and personal?" The handlers did a great job (and a real disservice) in hiding it. Was the media complicit? Probably, and maybe they too trusted their sources to not be BS'ing them. Fools if that's the case.
Here's the good news about our small "d" democracy: At least one party still has the capacity to look in the mirror and say; damn, we flocked up. It's not too late to shift gears and my money is on Joe having a come to Jesus meeting with none other than God and then stepping aside.
Nothing insures trump's well deserved loss, but it won't be delivered at the hands of JB.
Democrats are the party of overthink. That’s basically it. Republicans have become the party of no-think. We need a middle ground.
I don't disagree, which is why The Bulwark has become such a staple in my political diet. While most writers have abandoned the republican party, their ties and loyalties are still rooted in conservatism. The crew is taking a pounding for their objective take on Biden going from the hard-core dems who joined thinking it was a Kumbaya fest. Reality is a bitch.