Tag: Media

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Gatekeeping, Agenda-Setting, Censorship, and Tin-Foil Hats

Apparently only about 40% of Americans trust our media. Shocking, I know (that was sarcasm, by the way). Gallup reports that 60% of Americans have very little or no trust at all in the media. And, on top of that, the number reporting “no trust at all” is at a record high (33%) which is five points higher than 2019. That translates to almost an 18% increase in the number of people who say they have no trust. And that is pretty sad.

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The Meaning of Words

Words have meaning. That meaning can change either over time or by deliberate interference in the language by internal or external forces. Words that change meaning, or appear and disappear over time aren’t really a problem. That’s a fairly organic process. But when the change is introduced on purpose, that’s when we run into trouble. Does it matter when words change meaning? Does it matter if activists or the powers that be determine that certain words are no longer accepted for use in polite society? I’m not talking about derogatory words or slurs, but rather ordinary words. Words like riot or protest or insurrection…

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I am rubber, you are glue

Childhood is filled with rhymes and jingles that are easily remembered and designed to help us grow a sense of self-confidence. “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” is one. The other that’s been running through my mind recently is “I am rubber, you are glue. Everything you say bounces off me and sticks to you.” Both of these little jingles should be kept firmly in mind these days.

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Distractions

Did you hear about Ted Cruz? Man went to Cancun while Texas froze…because of course, if he’d stayed in Texas, the snow and ice would have melted, and the power would have been restored within minutes. Well, that’s how the media would like you to view the situation. A couple of weeks ago the story broke that Cuomo and his office really did lie about the number of nursing home deaths and the governor’s responsibility for those deaths. That’s not a good look for the Dems however, so while it was reluctantly covered, the media went searching for something shiny with which to distract the American public. Again. Lucky for them, Texas froze, and Cruz went on a planned vacation with his family. Phew! If Cruz had been a Democrat, you KNOW that Cancun trip would never have come up on mainstream media except to claim “fact-checking” (Nancy in hair salon throws owner under the bus, Newsom in French Laundry, mayor of San Jose in Mexico, on and on. Rules for thee, but not for me and never covered by the press).

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