When Did Living in the USA Get So Scary?

I remember when the news was delivered on TV in an unbiased manner. You were free to interpret it whatever way you liked. What a surprise–we were intelligent enough to do that for ourselves.

Enter cable TV and Internet.

Now we have “pundits.” People who give opinions in an authoritative manner through mass media. (That definition is straight from the dictionary) These pundits pose as learned individuals. But it seems to me what they really do is stir up a lot of hate. It’s all about the ratings, folks.

And when did we turn the corner of humanity and find that public humiliation was a fun form of television entertainment?

When did bullying become deadly?

I mean, for Pete’s sake, this awful girl named Vera used to sit in the desk behind mine and pull my ponytail.  She was a bully. So was Jesse. She always grabbed my scooter and wouldn’t give it back unless I begged. (which, for the record, I wouldn’t) What a bully she was!

Here’s a little something to ponder on cyber-bullying. And to think I was worried about Vera and Jessie.

When did we become reticent, if not scared, to engage in political talk with someone who held an opposing point of view?

Of course, there was no Internet or Reality TV or Pundits back then.

But right now, in this time and space, living in a country that is so filled with hatred is becoming burdensome and frightening.

5 thoughts on “When Did Living in the USA Get So Scary?

  1. Robin

    It has been a slow process getting here but like a pebble rolling down a hill that knocks another stone loose that knocks more stones loose the whole process has gained momentum.
    I don’t know whether to blame the schools for not teaching kids to think or TV (Max Headroom) or lawyers. We’ve stopped being the land of the free and the brave and now seem to be the land of the greedy and cruel.
    We are a country run by short-sighted corporations not looking past their short-term profit margins.
    My past dreams of the future are all nightmares now. At least my car is paid for so I’ll have something to live out of.

    Reply

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