On Oct 10, 2008, at 10:28 AM, William Conger wrote:
in a current world environment ruled by ludicrous stupidity? I watch
the news and am amazed by the nuttiness of political discourse, the
screaming and yelling, the racism and the panic, the trembling fear
of the pundits, the hatred for intelligence and truth.
This is McLuhan's issue: the medium contorts the message, it massages
the message. There is practically no intelligent public political
discourse in the U.S. that relies on sound and moving images.
Thoughtful written words, yes, there's a lot. But thoughtful words in
broadcast son-et-lumiere? Non!
Broadcasting anything, especially of political campaigns, is 99% show,
effects, headline logos, palpitation, faux compassion. Fitted into a
30-second commercial or 2-minute answer to staged questions (not to
mention the clips of salivating crowds hanging on every word of the
politician's stump speech).
Son-et-lumiere, suitable for cutting into little bitty snippets and
reverberated ad nauseam on TV and the Internet.
Obama? You mean B. HUSSEIN whatever?
And Sarah "Lipstick" Palin?
Etc. etc.
It's all bread and circuses, and just like New Year's Eve celebrations
or National Geographic safaris in Africa, we can watch them from afar,
as long as our Time Warner Cable holds up.
Joe Six-pack, eh? Well, predominantly libertarian, with a chaser of
Merlot or good 25-year old double-malt Scotch.
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Michael Brady
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
