Fear and Self-Loathing in Barnes and Noble

As a member of the Entitlement Generation , I sometimes need to blame someone else for my problems, even if they are entirely (or even partially) of my own making. So I'm gonna go ahead and blame Don Imus. Because who better to pick on than the old and bigoted?


Actually lets start somewhere else.
Today I was talking to some kids in the bookstore for a story I'm doing about "teen readers." Pulitzer here I come!
SO I'm chatting with them, talking about their favorite books, and all of a sudden a guy who I presume to be their father comes up and asks what the hell am I doing?

I explain the nature of my newspaper assignment, and he asks to see ID. Now I don't want to trash my employer too much here, but suffice it to say, I don't have any kind of press credentials -- although they are coming?

Anyway, I show him my "reporters notebook," which actually says that on the front cover. This predictably does nothing, so I try to assuage the situation by offering my Wisconsin-issued drivers license (don't ask) and then offering to have him call my editor. He promptly whips out the cell phone and calls the number I give him. Thankfully I was able to recite it from memory.

After literally a one minute conversation, he hangs up the phone and tries to skulk off.

"Are we good?" I ask.
"yeah"

And while I should probably blame my generally sketchy demeanor (esp the beard) for this incident, I blame Don Imus. Now you may ask, "Why do you fault a crotchety radio personality for your being mistaken for a pedophile?" Let me explain.

I don't necessarily blame "Don Imus" the actual adult diaper-wearing radio host for my unusual encounter. I blame what he, and his whole fucking "nappy-headed hos controversy" represents.

The 24-hour news cycle is one of the worst things in the history of media. Sure there's been a yellow streak going all through journalism since its inception. Need I remind you of George William Randolph Hearst and the Spanish-American War?

It started getting hardcore during the Clinton years, when sycophantic talking heads began spewing their bile over graphics proclaiming "CUMSTAIN ON DRESS?" in 200-point font.

Obviously to anyone with reading comprehension skills, FoxNews was the first purveyor of this kind of sensationalist tripe. But the others quickly followed. CNN is a joke, and the presence of Keith Olberman does nothing for MSNBC, as that bowtied ass Tucker Carlson counteracts his effects. And get me started on local TV news. I guarantee if they have helicopter footage of a fire, that will lede the broadcast, even if Pakistan nuked India.

SO now what do we have? A corporate-run media that jumps all over any story that might get people talking. Anna Nicole Smith? Check. Don Imus? Check. But I don't blame the newspeople, not entirely. They are just trying to appease the higher-ups, the bean-counters, the corporate fucks who have never written even one news article, conducted one interview or attended one boring-ass meeting. These jackoffs could give a fuck about actually informing people and the good of the community. Its all about ratings, and more specifically, the bottom line.






















Shit, newspapers were originally a public service, at least thats what I learned in Newspaper School. Ever heard of the Fourth Estate? Woodward and Bernstein? Well that is all down the tubes kids.


But anyway, this sensationalist aspect of news has totally destroyed any faith people have in reporters. And for that matter any stranger. Anyone that acts friendly is regarded with suspicion, because after all, the perv on "To Catch a Predator" last night talked the same way. And that, my friends, is why I was harassed for trying to write a nice little story about kids who like to read.
Questions? Comments?

Note: In no way does the Phillies current 1-6 record contribute to the anger that generated this post.