It’s icing up again, disturbingly windy as well, and the electricity here fails often when the wind blows after icing. My enthusiastic anticipation of the adrenalin producing thrill that comes with conquering the icy road is fast disappearing.
Lists are useless I know, and a wasteful way to spend the little free time one has these days, but I read them anyway. Using Forbes list of most influential media Liberals as a gauge, Doug is now a liberal. Liberal this week means educated and able to think for yourself? Goodness, I read recently that Hitchens could “cut a rug”, but does that mean he is liberal? (Somethings happening here, what it is ain’t exactly clear)
The list is inconsequential, as the label liberal tends to go to whoever is swaying left at the moment, and at any given moment what used to be the left might be the middle. I’m not concerned about labeled liberal media, I am bothered by the “influential” part of the equation.
Why do we let media influence us to the degree they do?
My grandmother always told me, “when deciding the worth of an individuals thoughts and self stated wisdom it was significant to know if said individual had ever applied their vast (or not) ideas or knowledge to anything”. In other words, if haven’t they done anything besides talk or write what they say or write in and of itself has very little value unless accompanied by brilliance. That brilliance isn’t really as prevalent as we think, though designated often it is usually done so incorrectly. Those who do (do), and those who “can’t do” may in some cases write or talk about it, and become one of media’s most influential liberals. Though there appears to be a few vivid bulbs on that list, most are self distinguished. My goodness many of them have never done anything but talk or write.
“Influential” and “media” should be be an oxymoron. That is the “change” we need.
Another thought, this one on the unnecessary death of Marvin E. Schur, a 93-year-old World War II veteran, who froze to death in his Bay City home after Bay City Electric Light & Power placed a device on his home to limit his electric use. It isn’t known whether the device was explained to him, some suggest it was not.
This really shouldn’t happen in this country. Please check on elderly or disabled neighbors, family, and friends.
I’m not saying the electric company wasn’t culpable, it sounds like they certainly were culpable, in a couple of ways, turning off the heat and thereby killing this man (there has to be some moral code that even large greedy corporations follow), and for possibly not explaining the device which monitored his power use. Despite that there is something deepy disturbing about a 93 year old man living alone somewhere and no one is bothering to keep tabs on him. Please check on elderly neighbors and friends often, they may need help with negotiating through various utility bills, contracts, and other such things. Volunteer to help them wade through that stuff. That is another “change” that needs to occur in this country. It’s disgraceful the way the elderly are treated here. Much of the tragedy involving the elderly could be avoided simply by paying attention to them.
You make a good point about the media and their role in defining how we think. It seems to be getting harder all the time to be objective because the facts and issues seem to be multiplying.
And it’s horrible to hear of people freezing to death, it’s such an unnecessary thing to happen in this country. The elderly should not have their heat cut off for any reason. As a society, I think we should be able to at least do this.
actonbell’s last blog post..Fair to Middlin’
At the very least.
What if ones worth is ones words? John Updike being the perfect example. His verbiage alone changed lives. Maybe not in the sense of politics or profound thoughts but he helped make writers out of people simply by using words the way he did–was really saving this for a post once my blog is back in working order
Nobody should die of cold :) My generation will be the first consisting of many old people without children, and I began to think about alternative living arrangements a decade and more ago but everybody laughed at me as it was depressing, people who worked in elder housing were satisfied, and my ideas were just too revolutionary–that could be called trying to act on words but…..Now I made arrangements with friends to share houses one day, and let the larger world act. People wait until aging affects them whether or not they’re professionals
And this country has no long term yet evolving policies in place for anything. Obama has to patch holes….
No doubt there are several brilliant people on that list and as someone said below Updike is one of them, but he is not really media as I know it.When we give people too much influence we start not to question those we see as influential. I suspect that many fail to question people in the media once they are tagged influential. I just think it does us go good to allow so much influence, that list of itself was pretty useless as most of those people will mean nothing historically – some wil of course
Um, yeah. I plead innocent but thanks for the mention. By Forbes undefinition I am certainly a liberal as are you, he, she, it, we, and, as always, they.
Doug’s last blog post..Persuasion
You’re the model liberal for the next decade – kind of scary if you ask me. ;)
This is a really moving post. You must take after your grandmother!! :) She sounds like you, a very wise lady. Nuts and blots and all heart wisdom.
The story of the elder gentleman brought tears to my eyes. Our culture is ruthless. And yet I know it is only people like you and me and everyone speaking up and taking action that brings to tow the corps running rough shod over innocent people. Oh, I could go off on a long long spew here so I’ll end with just encouraging all of us to take action and speak out truth.
Thank you cooper for caring!
Robin
Robin Easton’s last blog post..“Spy VS Spy”
Ruthless it is Robin, but clearly no one cares as long as their influential liberals are telling it like it is. ;)
I understood what you and your grandmother meant–both very wise but I have a chest thing. Am beginning to be bored and argue with myself. I realize you meant pundits however these days I’m not sure what “media” itself means when anybody can have a blog, youtube, put in a Wiki entry and so much more. Is Rachel Maddow’s words worth more than Bill O’Rileys? I would like to think so but…
A wise media would report facts only and let people decide for themselves. The media has never been wise and has always thought it has to think for people
A wise media also spurs on debate and dialogue and I can think of several columnists who do
Before your time The New Yorker was a delight as it didn’t identify the author of a piece until the end though if you read it constantly you knew. It had book length pieces as it didn’t insult the readers intelligence by assuming they have the intelligence span of a gnat. I can think of two of the most influential books of the 20th century that came from the New Yorker–Silent Spring and In Cold Blood. I know there were many others
On TV Edward R Murrow assumed the audience was knowledgeable. I don’t remember but have read….
My father believed that the media was always wrong. I grew up having to defend every thought and differentiating them from media influence. It’s still a thrill not to have to. That said I have never trusted the media
The wise will pick and choose their sources of influence carefully, you’re right. The list does contain some “vivid bulbs” as you call them, but you’re right, we are way too influenced by others who are not nearly as worthy.
The elderly man , a veteran of a world war yet, dying like that, is a terrible story and it should make our hearts break.
Hey, the morning was pretty much ice free or at least controlled , hope your trip in was as iceless as mine was.
jacob’s last blog post..Some People
Clear sailing this morning.
Hitchins cutting a rug means only that his toupe is getting a shave. Perhaps it has set down some roots.
As for liberals… somewhere along the way, we were told it was bad to be a liberal and so suddenly there were scads of progressives.
I am who I am, but if rush limbaugh or ann coulter don’t like that, they can (as Tina Fey would say) suck it.
sauerkraut’s last blog post..Sarah Palin to try to meet with Obama at Alfalfa Club Dinner
The term of the decade I guess.
The frozen dead old man is a pathetic unconscionable thing. We live in a sad world where we are, like you said, influenced by people no smarter than your average pig. Pigs are pretty smart but they aren’t exactly brilliant.
Updike is brilliant as is Krugman from what I’ve read, not much but enough to judge. Stewart is brilliant because he has a platform for his comedy. We’ve all known people just as brilliantly funny in real life, the others – smart – not really brilliant enough to endorse their influence because by doing so we stop questioning what they say and write and in some cases what they say or write needs to be questioned.
g’s last blog post..Bars and Biz
Just think what you could do with a platform, or is it a podium you seek. No, I forgot, it’s those suede patches on the plaid wool jacket.
We need to be more picky. Those on the list whose influence stems from the internet, or started there, are majorly lacking in qualification and brilliance, but we become less discriminating as time passes.
Some of those classified as media liberals are more than media which gives them more of a claim to “influential”ness.
Then there are all those wayward conservatives on that list. Go figure.
I can’t read about that old man without cringing.
john’s last blog post..Soccer Bits
Then cringe you must.
In regards to taking care of the elderly, I can tell you that from my one gerontology class my eyes were opened to how prevalent neglect is among the elderly. You are not kidding when say it’s shameful how the elderly are treated.
mojo shivers’s last blog post..I Can Be A Friend To You, I Won’t Pretend, I’m Not Interested In Breaking A Heart, It’s Not Love, No, It’s Nothing Like That
that’s appalling and very very sad news Cooper…
I worry about the aging generation over here too ….
great post and actions do speak louder than words in most cases ..
absolutely love the new minimalist look of your blog….wonderfully elegant!!!
laketrees’s last blog post..Happy New Year!!!