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This is Intentionally Vicarious… I’m Todd Youngblood… And I was just sitting here at my desk pondering aimlessly… I was shaking my head, wondering why on earth I watched an hour of TV news shows last night. It was nothing more than a parade of whiny losers. One victim of this, that or the other, then another victim of this, that or the other, then another, then another. Essssshhhhhh……. Obviously nobody on that show ever read “Salt From My Attic” by John A. Shedd. In it, he said…
“Opportunities are seldom labeled.”
I wish a whole lot more people, especially those in the nightly news clown parade, would keep that in mind.
The losers on the nightly news view “victimhood” as an opportunity. Look at Al Sharpton. He has made a career and a lot of money by leveraging the victim mentality.
Hi there, it’s your friendly neighborhood social work professor – whose undergraduate degree was in journalism. What news show did you watch? TV stations are in business to sell ads. If ratings for victim stories are high, we get those so we’ll buy a new mattress, or change plumbers. If ratings for the latest inept posturing in D.C. draws viewers, the TV station is as happy as a legislator whose owner/donor just sent a check. If someone has a cure for bottom-feeding viewers, I’d be interested. If it bleeds, it leads – and dripping tears or deranged raving works almost as well.
Now, about victims. I am reluctant to believe sad stories from men who are good-looking, smart and sane enough for all practical purposes, financially secure, and capable of civilized behavior. I used to work AFDC eligibility and services. Then I did Adult Protective Services, Eldercare, and nursing home social work. I worked with the 15% at the bottom of the physical, mental, social and spiritual curves. If someone has a better intervention than tax-funded support for the disabled and hopeless, let me know. I wish that “telling the story on the media” worked better, but I remember Prof. Hill (not the one with 76 trombones. The one from Oklahoma who didn’t finish her can of Coca Cola.)
Simple solution. If the news isn’t worth watching, today that is most of it, turn on Captain Kangaroo. Turn on Captain Kangaroo! Much more reality, humor and honesty and knowledge to be found than almost any network. Kind of a shame that grown ups (?) have to make a living trying to convince the adults that their twisted view of the world is the only reality and if you disagree ( aka MSNBC) then you should help their companions by killing yourself’ You know the three stooges were smarter and a lot funnier than 90% of the news.