Safire's comments today on the Slough of Despond with it's handwring and self-flagellation and narcissism sound like something out of Tolkien!
What Safire seems to be commenting on, at a MACRO-LEVEL, is the expansion of NEWS AND OPINION PORTALS.
Back in the olden days, there were three major networks, and everyone watched them. True, there were more newspapers back in the good old days, but they took their marching orders from on high too.
In short, everything was respectable in the Land of Leave it to Beaver! At least it seem to be.....but,
THEN CAME CABLE NEWS PROGRAMING, 300 CHANNEL TELEVISION, AND THE INTERNET WITH IT'S BLOGOSPHERE. AND EVERYTHING CHANGED QUICKLY.
Suddenly, everyone could see and hear what everyone else was doing, saying and thinking! And some didn't like it.
NEWS TODAY IS A CACOPHONY OF DISPARATE OPINONS, WITH THE FACTS ADJUSTED TO FIT THE STORY!
THERE ARE MULTIPLE "TRUTHS" AND "REALITIES" OUT THERE TO FIT EVERY SHADE OF OPINION.
Anyone can listen to "Black Radio" now! And Evangelicals can spread their version of the truth far beyond the local church! Gays have a place at the news and op-ed table, and that was unheard of in the Land of Leave it to Beaver!
And of course, NOW we all hate it! Or at least that part of it that doesn't pander to our personal view of reality.
No wonder the media types are handwringing. They've lost their monopoly hold on public opinion......and even politicians like Bush know it now!
Dubya didn't need the media, he had the evangelical churches. And Dean had Meetup and the Internet.
Whether the news is "liberal bias" or "conservative bias" is debatable today. Frankly, I see the news as horribly right wing nowadays. Safire still thinks it's liberal.
SO, ARE WE REALLY IN A "SLOUGH OF DESPOND?"
OR HAS CABLE NEWS PROGRAMING, AND 300 CHANNEL TV, AND THE INTERNET SIMPLY "TURNED OVER A ROCK" AND REVEALED TO US WHAT WAS ALWAYS THERE ALL ALONG?
.....UNNOTICED, JUST UNDER THE SURFACE?
