Now for the blog proper...
Growing up as a kid, in the 70's, I always looked forward to going out trick 'r treat'n with my brother and friends. It was a time I was allowed outside, at night, without my mother yelling at me to get back in the house. Really, that was my main motivation. Candy was a nice side bonus.
We would make our way up and back down the street we lived on, gathering sugary highs all along the way. We would also scare the other "littler" kids by jumping out of the bushes and screaming. Of course I would cause extra panic to the girl up the street who I "liked".
These days parents take their kids to the mall to go trick 'r treat'n. Why? Because of the razor blades, pin and needles, and other assorted harmful instruments people put into apples and candy of course. At the same time these mall events started cropping up, I noticed a news cast which talked about how malls were organizing these events because kids were increasingly finding harmful items in their candy and other treats. This in addition to kidnapping, alien abductions, and other criminal activity."Of course! Protect our children!" ....right?
Yes, but I would offer not from the "criminals" were hear about on the news. Rather, from the news itself. What percentage of the news is about death, murder, kidnapping, and other related crimes?How does this relate? What is one of the biggest heart aches for parents while their children are growing up? Lose of innocence. I am not suggesting that kids are watching the local news. No, what parent would have the local news on the television between 5 and 7 in the evening? Not like their family is together eating dinner and doing homework while they gather the local news.
The news media is breeding criminals each and every day. The news is desensitizing all of society, not just our children. This leads to a common lack of knowing what is right and wrong. Thus, this can lead to any degree of criminal behavior. Do you get a ping of horror everytime you hear about Jane Bag'a'Donuts being rapped or murdered? I am willing to bet not. Perhaps you need to ask yourself why?
So, while the news media broadcasts all the different ways kids might get hurt, stolen, and altered this Halloween, just think of all the people who just got a "good" idea from that same report.
1 comment:
I'm not going to flame you on this post my friend. I whole heartedly agree with your assessment. You locals have heard me mention, perhaps too many times, the book Freakomonics. In that book the authors take on ByProxy's very point, the marketing of fear.
Some of you have heard me say in disgust how much I hate the phrase "for the children" and the reason I despise that phrase specifically and generally anyone who uses it is the sheer phoniness of it. Whenever I hear the phrase I never fear for children but I always fear for my wallet or my civil rights, because the speaker is coming for one of the two.
If you have not read Freakonomics I strongly encourage you to find yourself a copy and read it. You may or may not agree with the authors assessments but they will make you think. They speak specifically on how companies play to the fears of parents when marketing their products. That chapter is my favorite one in the book.
Well, I'm done pimping Freakonomics this morning. Remember folks the media cares for only one thing, ratings, and they'll get them however, whenever and wherever they can.
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