[extropy-chat] news in perspective

kevinfreels.com kevin at kevinfreels.com
Thu Sep 1 15:47:37 UTC 2005


There's more to it than perspective. First of all, coverage is naturally
going to be better where it is easier to cover.
There is also the ongoing nature of the tradgedy - The people are still
dying. They are starving and dehydrating at this very moment.
Sansationalism plays a key - many would expect such a disaster in a 3rd
world country, but not in a major metropolitan US city.
ANd there is the "tribe" mentality. People are naturally going to be more
concerned about there own tribe, therefore US journalists are only naturally
going to be more concerned about US tradgedies.

There's a lot of thought out there that 3rd world countries choose to be the
way they are and that their problems are their own to solve.
Personally I was shocked at the lack of coverage in Liberia and our lack of
interest, but it's not the fault of the news organizations - it's the people
who watch the news. The people who turn it off if they aren;t seeing what
they want to see.

Combined, these things make it only natural that New Orleans is going to be
covered more than the Tsunami.
It has nothing to do with "fairness" since there is no such thing. The
problem lies in the education of the general population.

If people want to talk about fairness, where are Thailand and SIngapore
right now and why aren;t they here helping? What are their news
organizations covering? What about Asia, Africa, etc? Do you honestly think
any of them give a shit? I bet many across the world are laughing. Are they
concerned with fairness? Somehow I doubt it.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Samantha Atkins" <sjatkins at mac.com>
To: "ExI chat list" <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2005 3:25 AM
Subject: Re: [extropy-chat] news in perspective


> Are we so busy worrying our egos about our or their fairness that we
> are not present to the horror or loss of  any and/or all deaths?
> Evolved primates (probably evolved any old sentient) will feel the
> loss most keenly for those of nearest relationship.  That would be a
> great start if we really felt it, down to the bone,  and did not
> forget or distract ourselves with side issues.
>
>
> - samantha
>
>
> On Aug 31, 2005, at 11:31 PM, Amara Graps wrote:
>
> > spike:
> >
> >> ps The news on in the background as I write.  Damn that
> >> flood in New Orleans is bad.  {8-[
> >>
> >
> > Yes, it is bad.
> >
> > And so is the ~1000 people in Baghdad who died on a pilgrimage
> > during the time of New Orleans' terrible misfortune. (was that
> > reported?)
> >
> > And so is 200,000 people who died in the tsunami.
> >
> > Death is bad. And I wish the American media would learn to put
> > news in perspective. Even Boing-boing has gone over the top (I
> > don't remember them reporting this much after the tsunami for
> > example).
> >
> > Amara
> >
> > -- 
> >
> > ********************************************************************
> > Amara Graps, PhD          email: amara at amara.com
> > Computational Physics     vita:  ftp://ftp.amara.com/pub/resume.txt
> > Multiplex Answers         URL:   http://www.amara.com/
> > ********************************************************************
> > "In my opinion, television validates existence." --Calvin
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
>
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