Monday, August 4, 2014

The World I Live In

Conventional TV with parents.

We start out with a show made by... what does one call them these days, mentally challenged people? Where they interviewed leaders of two political parties in Sweden, which one can't say too much about since it's made by mentally challenged people.

No. They don't stand beyond scrutiny, or quality, or justice. If they have the same rights and value as all other people, something they liked to repeat over and over and I wonder if they even understand what it means, then they are just as accountable for their impact on everyone around them. So on best viewing hours, we have people lacking even the most basic grasp of politics, and any sense of impact on the environment or consequence, interviewing politicians. So that is clearly the level of intelligent debate we need. Obviously this provides us with information, like, for example, it's a glaring example of how it's impossible to have a discussion with a person who doesn't understand any of the basic underlying assumptions of the topic. One of the hosts came with the fantastic argument "we should keep nuclear power because then we have more power". Are you serious?

Maybe I'm upset because I don't trust the majority of people to remain uninfluenced by this. I can see a large number of acquaintances going "hey did you see that thing last night, you know they have some points those retarded people, maybe they aren't so stupid, because more power is great, and thinking about consequences is so bothersome".

We continue to regular news. Forest fire. Instead of straight information, like show on a map where the fire is, describe what the firemen actually do, ask questions like "why have you pulled only the nearby firemen and not firemen from further away, since people are at risk and you can't get control", we have a few sentimental interviews with people going "hey this shit sucks terribly", and some general complaints about "how the authorities are handling the issue" which is what media loves to do; complain on the people working their asses off to try to fix a problem. God forbid the police or the firemen show some humanity and forget to jump through every exact hoop. Of course people have complaints. Everything can be made better, especially in a high-pressure situation. These people need help and cooperation, not whining. If nothing else, evaluate AFTER for the sake of.

Also anti-semitism is rising in Sweden because what people of the same religion do in another country. Clearly they should abandon their religion because other people of the same religion are doing terrible things, because that's what all other religious people do, and that really speaks of character and true faith. Clearly by continuing doing exactly what they've been doing for generations, they are supporting every act of others. So when Christians are harassing abortion-clinics or beating up homosexuals in the US, we should start harassing randomly selected Swedish Christians. FUCK ME YOU FUCKING MORONS ARE YOU SERIOUS.

They interview a Jewish person about it, some kind of official or professor or something, that says exactly what the entire thing has said, that it's because of what Jews are doing in another country. The interviewer feels the need to bring up what the leader of the Swedish Democrats have said, because the man could use more media exposure, despite the fact that the question is phrased in such a way that it will get EXACTLY the same answer as the one he JUST SAID because there's literally no other way to answer it. So you just wanted to give SD some more media time, or you're so bloody stupid that you can't skip or modify a question that has already been answered. Journalism woo. Good job. Fantastic.

By now I'm starting to feel dizzy and my chest is hurting, so I stop watching actively and try to read my book. I notice that I'm taking everything I read in a really negative light; I've read this book before and I love it, but suddenly my brain is pointing out that it's objectifying the female characters (it's from 1921), and there's this bitter tone to it (that is certainly imaginary). I find it hard to concentrate.

When my brain calls me back to the TV again, they've moved on the sports news. They're talking about people behaving like assholes at a sports event; soccer of course. Can't breathe anymore, I feel physically sick, and if I read the book it'll only get more tainted by the ambient stupidity.

I drop some comment on how stupid it all is, and that I'm leaving. Dad says I shouldn't listen. I can't not listen. It's physically impossible for me, that's why I don't watch conventional TV, that's why I shut myself in most of the time. Just the *tone* of some of the news, while I was reading, without me actively taking in the words, made me *physically ill* and mentally super negative.

Are you all listening to what is said in your living rooms? Are you understanding the power of suggestion, of passive information absorption, of attitude assimilation especially in children? Is this the level of professionalism you demand from media?  The level of understanding you're after in immediate, relevant events?

And you are the people I'm supposed to share this "democratic" country with.

5 comments:

ShadoWolf said...

And that's a fist in the stomach...it's been a while since I watched the news or TV at all. Usually I get bits and pieces at work, but even when I watch, it doesn't get to me the way it does you, but I think it would be better if it did. Means you still care. I just snort, roll my eyes and think: "people are idiots; let'em fuck themselves" and then, well, I just look away and do my thing contented with the thought that when everything falls apart I'll either die like the other sorry fucks or survive to see an other world. Certainly not a better one (if one doesn't count less idio- uh, I mean people, as better) but different. I wish I remembered how to care like you, how to be effected and affected. It's easier to be like I am now but also a lot colder, and less. Somewhere along the line I lost something and I can feel the lack when I get punches like these.

Though I don't think that the so called "normal" people need "mentally challanged" people to come up with silly ideas such as keeping nuclear power because of the extra power it gives us- because it's probably the other way around you know. Seemingly highly intelligent people like to argue that we need nuclear power because it's "cleaner" than other ways to create energy (and since we use so much energy we have to create more so we can use more though we're already overusing, but nobody wants to stop using, so). How nuclear power ever could be considered "clean" escapes me. What about the radio active residue? It's as stupid as so called "green" cars or "eco-driving". There's no such thing. Cars are bad any way you make them (unless it's a Flintstone car, now that's eco-driving!).

Oh, well; what to do with this world? (or mostly the people)

Yeonni said...

Sorry I never reply properly, after I've written a post I need to empty my brain a while before I can read it again.

I don't think they need mentally challenged people, but I do think that when things come out of their mouths, people see it as an excuse to be allowed to think so. "It isn't so strange to think that it's good." I've seen people think that what children or mentally challenged or any such groups say things, they think it's so nice because they're "innocent" and they don't try to be politically correct so it's "honest" and stuff. (As it happens I think children are by nature huge massive liars because they are instinctively trying to be like grown ups.)

Yeonni said...

For the sake of completion, for later reference, I'd like to add that shortly after, there were complains that the police hadn't come and told people to leave, so they WAITED UNTIL THE FOREST WAS ON FIRE AROUND THEM, escaped in a boat, and then were super upset at the police. Hey, how about you fucking leave if there's a forest fire headed your way? Make your own decisions =.=

ShadoWolf said...

Hey, you know people...either the police, or government or whatever are telling people what to do way too often or either they're not doing it enough. People are never happy ;)

What I find most cynikal are the ones who go back into these areas with the fire looming over them, where people have had to run from their homes, only to steel what's not bolted down. It's horrible and yet bold enough to make me feel a reluctant respect. Stupid but somewhat impressive.

Yeonni said...

Yes. Now they're saying the police should have posted people to look out for looters. But I have no idea what kind of manpower they're working with so.

It sucks balls of course to have your home looted, but at least it didn't burn down. Also hopefully you packed the most valuable / most important things before you left, since surely you knew the fire was coming and didn't wait to the last moment, hm?

:P Now I'm just being an asshole.