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What is news...
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| Dervish |
On the BBC Website in reverse order "Most Emailed" Story....
5. * Amazon's future in delicate balance
4. * Stab death in London's West End
3. * Stars at Sex and the City launch
Sex in the city is a "top story?!?!?"
2. * Thousands dead in Chinese quake
Surely should be top... I mean we are talking tens of thousands of people dead!!! But noooooooo pipped to the post by:
1. * Dog 'fosters' kittens
Made me think of an Adam Smith Quote:
| quote: | Far-away disasters
Let us suppose that the great empire of China, with all its myriads of inhabitants, was suddenly swallowed up by an earthquake, and let us consider how a man of humanity in Europe, who had no sort of connection with that part of the world, would be affected upon receiving intelligence of this dreadful calamity. He would, I imagine, first of all, express very strongly his sorrow for the misfortune of that unhappy people, he would make many melancholy reflections upon the precariousness of human life, and the vanity of all the labours of man, which could thus be annihilated in a moment. He would too, perhaps, if he was a man of speculation, enter into many reasonings concerning the effects which this disaster might produce upon the commerce of Europe, and the trade and business of the world in general. And when all this fine philosophy was over, when all these humane sentiments had been once fairly expressed, he would pursue his business or his pleasure, take his repose or his diversion, with the same ease and tranquillity, as if no such accident had happened. The most frivolous disaster which could befall himself would occasion a more real disturbance. If he was to lose his little finger to-morrow, he would not sleep to-night; but, provided he never saw them, he will snore with the most profound security over the ruin of a hundred millions of his brethren, and the destruction of that immense multitude seems plainly an object less interesting to him, than this paltry misfortune of his own.
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Scary thought? Disgusting thought? Or part of being human? |
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| Theresa |
Maybe people are just sick and tired of reading and hearing about the horrible things in life, and wanted to read something nice for once.
:conf: |
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| Tranceporter99 |
| quote: | Originally posted by Dervish
Or part of being human? |
It absolutley is. We are selfish by nature. I don't care though. Just as we are violent by nature. Its who we are as humans. Its why societys that completely try and take away any sort of violence: hunting, movies, games, etc they will fail. I will dwell on the misfortune of me dislocating my arm longer then I will with the news of someones, or many peoples, death. I don't know anyone who is different. Its not that I don't care. You just can't live any sort of semblance of a life with the misfortunes of others hanging in front of your every thought or desire. |
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| Gen3r4l1ty |
| quote: | Originally posted by Theresa
Maybe people are just sick and tired of reading and hearing about the horrible things in life, and wanted to read something nice for once.
:conf: |
If they wanted to read something nice they shouldn't read the news.:tongue2
In terms of the quote; it may be true, but think if it wasn't. If you were emotionally destroyed on the same level that the victims were every time you heard of such a calamity, the populace would be emotional wrecks! |
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| tubularbills |
| i still think all the in myanmar is more important than a lot of other things right now. then again, i am a weather nerd |
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| jdat |
this does not amaze me in the least bit.
Being a bit of a media frantic, keeping up to date with evolution(more like regression ) in the industry this makes complete sense to me.
It's come to my attention that as a whole, reporting of news as a whole is being dumbed down. I have noticed this from the abundant amount of makeovers in newspapers and magazines in the last couple years but also from people who work in the field who are constantly faced with execs pushing for "kick it down a notch" syndrome.
Editorial content is being minimized while the qualitative factor is being loss pushing for easier to comprehend articles etc
Visual content is being maximized and while I love photography and don't deny it's importance, it is by no means an alternative to "facts" written down on paper; a lot of the sideline practices such as illustration are being relegated to the bottom of the pile.
And presentation is just growing to become ugly as the new standard.
Is the audience becoming stupid? Do people just not care anymore? |
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| Audious |
| quote: | Originally posted by tubularbills
i still think all the in myanmar is more important than a lot of other things right now. then again, i am a gay |
FTFY |
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| jpisani |
| A dog fostering kittens is much more of an 'emailable' story than a chinese earthquake. |
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| Dervish |
| quote: | Originally posted by jpisani
A dog fostering kittens is much more of an 'emailable' story than a chinese earthquake. |
Ok for some but WHY is that more 'emailable'? |
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| Audious |
Also,
"What is news? Baby, don't hurt me... don't hurt me... No more..." |
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| jdat |
| quote: | Originally posted by Dervish
Ok for some but WHY is that more 'emailable'? |
people trying to soothe the pain of the 9 to 5 daily grind |
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| jpisani |
| quote: | Originally posted by Dervish
Ok for some but WHY is that more 'emailable'? |
People would rather get a joke or light story in their email from a friend, rather than an email about a disaster. Kind of obvious really. |
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