Thu, 23 Oct 2003
A Coping Strategy for Bad News
The news just keeps being bad, doesn't it? Does it
cause you as much anxiety as it does me?
I came up with a list of things to remember about the media's
presentation of the news that serves as a generalised coping strategy.
I hope this short list helps you to cheer up.
Note: Some of these items apply mostly to news about the
USA, where I live, such as ones that mention a bicameral legislature.
OK, let's take a semantic
pause, everybody.
- The legislation described may not be passed.
- It may pass in the House but fail in the Senate, or the
reverse.
- If passed, it may be struck down in the courts, or tied up in the
courts.
- Public outcry may make enforcement impractical.
- It may be enforced incompetently, or be impractical because of
bureaucracy or lack of funds.
- Any law can be repealed.
- There may be no force of law behind an "initiative". It may be the
result of a rogue agency or bureaucrat acting alone.
- The reportage may be exaggerated or inaccurate.
- It is in the interest of the Right to exaggerate to make us feel
small and helpless.
- It is in the interest of the Left to exaggerate to get us off our
asses.
- It is in the interest of the media to exaggerate to sell more
ads.
- When things are slow, the media may dig into its files
and exaggerate old news.
- It may take so long to enact bad legislation that it bleeds into
the next administration, which might be more sympathetic to human rights.
- It may not affect you until the next administration,
which might be more sympathetic to human rights.
- You may have misunderstood what you read, or jumped to
conclusions.
- It doesn't necessarily tie in with your favourite conspiracy
theories.
- Laugh, for crissake! Breathe.
Entered 04:58 [/polyticks/media]
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