General Discussion

mike_c

(36,661 posts)

66. I don't understand why people don't just turn that noise off....

Wed Nov 25, 2015, 10:33 PM

Nov 2015

Seriously. People who haven't had a television in years-- like me-- look at the rest of Americans incredulously. The utter crap that people spend their non-working, waking hours watching on television will shock you pretty quickly after you get that stuff out of your system. They don't call it the plug-in drug for nothing. Over the years, interesting, challenging content has slowly given way to purile entertainment, although arguably television was always deeper down that rat hole than print media.

Every two or three years I'll turn on a television in a hotel room and surf the channels looking for some redeeming value. I'm usually appalled. Television isn't the only thing that is killing journalism, but it's one of the worst offenders. Voting with your feet and turning that noise off permanently is the first step toward undoing the dumbing down of Americans.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

101 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Taibbi: America Is Too Dumb for TV News [View all] Fumesucker Nov 2015 OP

Ouch mindwalker_i Nov 2015 #1

A do it yourself lobotomy hifiguy Nov 2015 #6

What you said... Thespian2 Nov 2015 #35

I imagine "Doctor" Bin Carson could do it to himself. erronis Nov 2015 #41

That ship sailed a long time ago for Mental Ben. hifiguy Nov 2015 #43

I think he already did elljay Nov 2015 #96

I know there are some DUers who dismiss Matt Taibbi with a :rofl: but I like him. K&R nt Electric Monk Nov 2015 #2

They dismiss him because he doesn't carry hifiguy Nov 2015 #7

+1 nt navarth Nov 2015 #12

Matt Taibbi is one of the very best this country has. David Corn with Mother Jones, is another. nt Snotcicles Nov 2015 #30

+1 valerief Nov 2015 #74

+2 AlbertCat Nov 2015 #88

+1, exactly right. The same people who dismiss him immediately now Marr Nov 2015 #65

Anyone who dismisses Taibbi offhand is not using critical thinking skills. [n/t] Maedhros Nov 2015 #40

I tossed my TV away long ago... yuiyoshida Nov 2015 #3

Al Gore for instance never really recovered from saying,"I took the initiative in creating the 'Net" KamaAina Nov 2015 #4

In fact, what Gore said was accurate. FairWinds Nov 2015 #17

This message was self-deleted by its author guyton Nov 2015 #19

Yup - I was also there, then (and still am.) erronis Nov 2015 #45

Misinformation and misdirection had already been done by teevee, radio, newspapers, valerief Nov 2015 #76

After the cold war ended, the military and intelligence groups had no need for the Arpanet Samantha Nov 2015 #62

Thanks. Enthusiast Nov 2015 #75

Thanks. nt elias49 Nov 2015 #77

Thanks Sam for the history lesson fasttense Nov 2015 #90

No one person "invented" the net, but Robert Khan and Vinton Cerf created HTML hatrack Nov 2015 #93

This message was self-deleted by its author guyton Nov 2015 #99

It was a complex evolution over a long period of time Samantha Nov 2015 #100

I am actually beginning to believe that hifiguy Nov 2015 #5

the world - well, at least human beings mach current - are doomed. NRaleighLiberal Nov 2015 #23

i don't think the species is doomed. hifiguy Nov 2015 #25

all well said. The issue is that in our species is such an affinity for greed, power, deceit NRaleighLiberal Nov 2015 #32

That's because we are apes. hifiguy Nov 2015 #34

. NRaleighLiberal Nov 2015 #36

What a fantastic exchange. However since it mirrors my own - you are both doomed! erronis Nov 2015 #47

I wish they'd blow their brains out (voluntarily, of course hifiguy Nov 2015 #52

I mostly agree. We have peaked and will revert to a pretty miserable type of "nasty, mean & short" leveymg Nov 2015 #33

Well said. LuvNewcastle Nov 2015 #50

Our country, as such, will break into smaller constituent polities by mid-century or so.... villager Nov 2015 #26

I very much agree. hifiguy Nov 2015 #28

This is why I am so glad to see the young turning to Bernie. jwirr Nov 2015 #42

Here's a great article discussing the issues you bring up. hifiguy Nov 2015 #44

I read it and you have read it. Who else is reading this? Are jwirr Nov 2015 #57

I did an OP with excerpts and a link hifiguy Nov 2015 #59

That is what I was afraid of. When I went to college they jwirr Nov 2015 #60

I'm just waiting for Yellowstone to blow. passiveporcupine Nov 2015 #97

Just remember that time travel is real. Someone went to the future and brought back LiberalArkie Nov 2015 #8

Like all great satirists, hifiguy Nov 2015 #29

We have been purposely dumbed down Funtatlaguy Nov 2015 #9

We didn't accept him. Either time. Enthusiast Nov 2015 #78

well, who but TV news do we blame for this sad condition? stupidicus Nov 2015 #10

Trick question, right? Blame the people that buy the products sold on those show? erronis Nov 2015 #48

hardly stupidicus Nov 2015 #51

When Ted Turner was tossed out Wellstone ruled Nov 2015 #11

And there's very little international news, or even "real" news. SharonAnn Nov 2015 #24

Please tune in to AlJazeer or Reuters or BBC or CBC erronis Nov 2015 #49

AJA is very nearly BBC-level in every way. hifiguy Nov 2015 #63

Superior to all US domestic options. Enthusiast Nov 2015 #81

100% agree...AJA and BBC are the only networks doing even remotely "journalism" on TV. Moostache Nov 2015 #95

Fortunately, I live in the DC area nitpicker Nov 2015 #70

Someone should write a book about the similarities LuvNewcastle Nov 2015 #53

Kinda nailed it with the analogy. Wellstone ruled Nov 2015 #56

Dumb and dumber is clearly the objective. Enthusiast Nov 2015 #82

I think your timeline is about right but you missed an important fact tech3149 Nov 2015 #85

This. ^^^ CrispyQ Nov 2015 #92

And the crowd goes wild. Wellstone ruled Nov 2015 #94

Yes, it is 100% marketing crap at this point. bemildred Nov 2015 #13

Yay!!! Take that 20th century USA!!! IN YOUR FACE!!!!! nt Guy Whitey Corngood Nov 2015 #14

Matt, I was with you until you complained about pandas. spooky3 Nov 2015 #15

It's the Oligarch's, dummy! 90-percent Nov 2015 #16

MAD also subverted me on a very deep level. hifiguy Nov 2015 #27

In the old days, real knowledge was able LuvNewcastle Nov 2015 #55

...! And the Wall Street Bailout was another signal... KoKo Nov 2015 #84

I think you are very close to he truth with this. Enthusiast Nov 2015 #86

K&R Solly Mack Nov 2015 #18

Wait... CNN is Liberal? maxsolomon Nov 2015 #20

well, some of the US Army Psychop script doctors are Democrats reddread Nov 2015 #98

If you listen to Murrow now, you can really see how far we've fallen. cyberswede Nov 2015 #21

Many thanks for replaying these. erronis Nov 2015 #54

TV news? what's that? NRaleighLiberal Nov 2015 #22

But American is voted #1 as the most ignorant in the world. This is sad news. rladdi Nov 2015 #31

Taibbi is always the best underpants Nov 2015 #37

Next two paras: this is where I came to my impasse years ago ffr Nov 2015 #38

I'm not for turning the TV off entirely tech3149 Nov 2015 #80

I like the "old Edward R. Murrow, eat-your-broccoli version of the news" phrasing Tab Nov 2015 #39

The Best Slave Doesn't Know He Is One. Octafish Nov 2015 #46

And Kirkegaard's Corollary to Goethe hifiguy Nov 2015 #58

That calls for a toast. Octafish Nov 2015 #67

To both of us! hifiguy Nov 2015 #68

Sad But So True colsohlibgal Nov 2015 #61

of Course SadWingsOfDestiny Nov 2015 #64

I don't understand why people don't just turn that noise off.... mike_c Nov 2015 #66

How did I miss rec cing this! Rex Nov 2015 #69

There's news on TV? I've never seen any, but then I only get 750 channels. Scuba Nov 2015 #71

Matt is one of my favorites of all time. trumad Nov 2015 #72

TV Free For 15 Years Now cantbeserious Nov 2015 #73

I would argue the opposite position tech3149 Nov 2015 #79

It's one of those "chicken or the egg?" conundrums Fumesucker Nov 2015 #83

K&R! This post should have hundreds of recommendations! Enthusiast Nov 2015 #87

OK, let's face it...those of us on the DU, no matter who we support right now, Hepburn Nov 2015 #89

Television Not a Fan Nov 2015 #91

K&R We live in the most reality corporations will allow. raouldukelives Nov 2015 #101