Roger A. Shrubber
Well-Known Member
the newspaper is dead...they only continue to print them for the few diehard old bastards that insist on it, and are willing to pay for it.Saw a reporter from Wash. Post on news this morn., shes digging deep on the state of politics in the US and how social media has enabled extremists are enabled to consolidate their views and influence the rep. party,and how the Constitution's framers had no way to anticipate this modern digital phenomenon that's hijacked the political discourse,she also states that the House of Reps. originally had a ratio of 1/30k and is now at 1/750K which advocates for a uncapping of house membership #'s. This could go a long way towards a complete redrawing of these ridiculous gerrymandered districts while also increasing the representation ratios,another 200-250 seats w/more geographically sensible districts would be good. As for the effect of social media in politics I think the loss of print media has had a major effect here,even if physical newspapers are unpopular they still could be consumed online,it's the loss of a vetted news product w/oversight,and confirmable sourcing that is enabling this misinformation,conspiracy spewing news in a tunnel BS that now pervades our society. I think philanthropy can help here in the establishment of non profit newspapers funded by well healed donors,conservative or progressive,who lament the lack of vetted,reliable impartial,objective news. The loss of all the print newspapers at the local level is stunning,driven by money hungry shareholders and conglomerates which were allowed to gobble up portfolios of local newspapers. Maybe it's to late or unfeasable to rectify this,but this loss combined w/the proliferation of unverified online news sourcing/ social media radicalization has blurred reality and empowered fringe beliefs into the mainstream.
it's a shame. I enjoyed reading the paper in silence, the only interruption my own snorts of derision or exclamations of disgust...now i have to close ads, ignore annoying videos, and close endless popups, even on most of the reputable sites.
Of course, the real attraction to reading the news was that you had a fair idea if they were telling you the truth or not, you could watch the noon or evening news and see if things jibed...now you have to wade through puddles of bullshit and trust fact checkers and adfontes media...which i'm not always sure i do.