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True Blue Door

(2,969 posts)

108. The news media in this country is no longer journalistic, but purely sensationalistic.

Fri Oct 17, 2014, 01:58 AM

Oct 2014

Blaming someone for problems that frighten the public is more entertaining, more dramatic than rationally seeking and assessing facts, and "that is the whole of the law" as far as these pseudo-informative organizations are concerned. Moreover, blaming defenseless ordinary people is simply easier and more relatable to the audience than adding to the din of anti-intitutional commentary.

Facts are merely hooks to sell the narrative they find most profitable, and are rarely essential to that narrative, let alone helpful to the audience. It cannot be overstated how degenerate the news media has become.

So to call those corrupt news organizations "authoritarian" would be giving them too much credit. They are not even conscious enough to be capable of such a political ideology. At this point in history, they are mere entertainers, and the "news" they sell about ebola is no different from horror TV shows and movies about epidemics - it's a product tailored to make you watch, nothing more. They have no interest in or knowledge of their own content deeper than that. It might as well be algorithm-generated content for all it resembles reality or even conscious propaganda.

What you're seeing is corruption, laziness, degeneracy. Authoritarianism would be too structured a motive to ascribe to these people. They are nihilistic, and only go after the weak because it's easier, not because they are awed by power.

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Kicking down and kissing up: Signs of a classic authoritarian [View all] Fumesucker Oct 2014 OP

Dead nuts on. nt MannyGoldstein Oct 2014 #1

Nuts to you too, Manny! RufusTFirefly Oct 2014 #39

Duck Soup? MannyGoldstein Oct 2014 #65

Haha! Perfect! RufusTFirefly Oct 2014 #67

You're not Maurice Chevalier! dorkzilla Oct 2014 #115

terrific post and spot-on accurate TheSarcastinator Oct 2014 #2

I can't define authoritarianism, but I know it when I see it. merrily Oct 2014 #3

"The Authoritarians" by Bob Altemeyer is an interesting read.... xocet Oct 2014 #6

Thanks. merrily Oct 2014 #11

No problem - here is a "Cliff's Notes" introduction to the book. Either this will shorten your list xocet Oct 2014 #48

Thank you again. merrily Oct 2014 #49

I second this book. n/t deafskeptic Oct 2014 #33

how many ordinary people do you think an evil authority would have to order to kill pscot Oct 2014 #59

Indeed, it is - especially the "look-at-what-experiments-tell-us" information. n/t xocet Oct 2014 #66

Careful LiberalLovinLug Oct 2014 #69

I am a big fan. It's free on the internetz and about $10 for softbound. Well worth the read. rhett o rick Oct 2014 #85

Perfect. n/t marym625 Oct 2014 #118

Poppy is an interesting example Fumesucker Oct 2014 #7

That's interesting all right. If by "interesting," we mean merrily Oct 2014 #8

I just realized why I posted the OP Fumesucker Oct 2014 #12

J. Edgar merrily Oct 2014 #114

first e-book I downloaded when I got my ereader Doctor_J Oct 2014 #89

Great post Famesucker. Thanks. Scuba Oct 2014 #4

In the Air Force we used to call it sarge43 Oct 2014 #5

K&R. I've seen MULTIPLE examples of this in over 27+ years of working in bullwinkle428 Oct 2014 #9

K&R Paka Oct 2014 #10

That's what makes the corporate world such an awful place to work. leftyladyfrommo Oct 2014 #13

Seeing it in action in such stark terms over the last few days has been illuminating Fumesucker Oct 2014 #15

I worked in the residential real estate industry leftyladyfrommo Oct 2014 #18

I Agree Liberal_Dog Oct 2014 #14

especially the mail clerk. :P n/t deafskeptic Oct 2014 #34

K&R JEB Oct 2014 #16

Also, kicking down and kissing up reinforces status differences YoungDemCA Oct 2014 #17

Dilbert hits the nail on the head once again. leftyladyfrommo Oct 2014 #19

I couldn't tell you how many times I witnessed this in 35 years of public service tularetom Oct 2014 #20

Agreed, and I think they do not really understand that others don't share their fear. MindPilot Oct 2014 #28

So true, and even more, WHY. Seems as if lack of perspective is a big factor in reactions. Hortensis Oct 2014 #52

I also think that people who buy into that "moving up the ladder" mentality deutsey Oct 2014 #63

Absolutely. I was fascinated to learn that social scientists say acceptance of inequality Hortensis Oct 2014 #82

It's institutionalized in the corporate world and in the military. nt Duppers Oct 2014 #110

no shit. mopinko Oct 2014 #21

If I recall correctly, Jack London had an example of this in "The Sea Wolf" KansDem Oct 2014 #22

DURec leftstreet Oct 2014 #23

What an awesome post! Classic "Shit Rolls Downhill" MindPilot Oct 2014 #24

That said above, and 'a company is only a reflection of the management!' mrdmk Oct 2014 #51

K&R Snotcicles Oct 2014 #25

Best non-science thread I've read thus far here. Serious, serious hat tip for KingCharlemagne Oct 2014 #26

Terrific post. democrank Oct 2014 #27

Excellent post! theHandpuppet Oct 2014 #29

K&R magical thyme Oct 2014 #30

Boom. The leading indicator of a truly toxic workplace hifiguy Oct 2014 #31

great post Locrian Oct 2014 #32

that is an excellent book Tumbulu Oct 2014 #87

Right on, Fumesucker! Enthusiast Oct 2014 #35

exellent post oldandhappy Oct 2014 #36

Well it does seem strange we haven't seen any CEOs or COOs on TV Rex Oct 2014 #37

Ain't that the truth K&R whatchamacallit Oct 2014 #38

Bingo. I just made a post in another thread saying how I was pissed at these valerief Oct 2014 #40

Not to get too dark, but there is some delicious irony of the schadenfreude type in the KingCharlemagne Oct 2014 #41

Very true. bvf Oct 2014 #83

Yeah,...authoritaians show up here defending the cops too.... Spitfire of ATJ Oct 2014 #42

+ Good articulation of a fundamental DirkGently Oct 2014 #43

turbines!!!! lol! classic Quayblue Oct 2014 #93

Turbine heads 4ever! DirkGently Oct 2014 #117

I still think Vinson is a fucking moron. LostInAnomie Oct 2014 #44

You should look in the mirror. jtuck004 Oct 2014 #45

Meh... I'm not the idiot that got on a plane after being exposed to Ebola. LostInAnomie Oct 2014 #47

She didn't know she was exposed to the virus brentspeak Oct 2014 #53

Nope. LostInAnomie Oct 2014 #56

The ones who want to blame Amber are using the word "exposed" very loosely uponit7771 Oct 2014 #78

And her apologists act like common sense and personal responsibility... LostInAnomie Oct 2014 #81

The CDC had told those nurses they were able to work and care for patients Fumesucker Oct 2014 #100

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone Fumesucker Oct 2014 #46

Very low person? She's a fucking nurse. LostInAnomie Oct 2014 #50

As opposed to a CDC offical? Fumesucker Oct 2014 #55

The person she talked to on the phone was probably "some nurse". LostInAnomie Oct 2014 #57

The CDC told us the protocols were fine Fumesucker Oct 2014 #60

That is so typical. Sognefjord Oct 2014 #74

Perhaps it is just us worrying about the flight Tweedy Oct 2014 #72

Another possibl indicator: Elected to Congress as a TPer. As near as I can tell, many, many of the Hortensis Oct 2014 #54

K&R deutsey Oct 2014 #58

Excellent. K&R nt TBF Oct 2014 #61

Excellent observation. Sort of like "Good German Syndrome". nt Zorra Oct 2014 #62

It wasn't the cleaning lady or window washers? fadedrose Oct 2014 #64

Or maybe some of those toothless hillbilly fucks... theHandpuppet Oct 2014 #68

Where I come from, we call posts like this "firing for effect" The Traveler Oct 2014 #70

All or nearly all authoritarians are also . . FairWinds Oct 2014 #71

That it actually spread indicates a distinct LACK of authoritarianism. joshcryer Oct 2014 #73

I think you have missed my point entirely Fumesucker Oct 2014 #75

Yes, they could have been authoritarian, locked down the hospital. joshcryer Oct 2014 #79

Authoritarian is telling your front line staff to put medical tape on their throats Fumesucker Oct 2014 #80

No, that's common sense. joshcryer Oct 2014 #90

It's common sense to put medical tape on your throat? Fumesucker Oct 2014 #94

They ordered hoods after nurses raised concerns. joshcryer Oct 2014 #96

These people are supposed to be the smart ones, the ones thinking ahead, doing the planning Fumesucker Oct 2014 #98

spot on Fumesucker undergroundpanther Oct 2014 #105

That's the problem, you call bureaucrats "elites." joshcryer Oct 2014 #111

It wasn't the CDC that told them to cover up with tape, it was their superiors at the hospital Fumesucker Oct 2014 #119

Includes all of the right-wing media screamers we know. Orsino Oct 2014 #76

This is very good. I think I will print it out. LawDeeDah Oct 2014 #77

Exactly. "election fraud"= Meh. "Voter fraud"? To the battlements! lumberjack_jeff Oct 2014 #84

I have been told I have a problem with Authority Kalidurga Oct 2014 #86

Well said! Duppers Oct 2014 #112

Interesting who did Rex Oct 2014 #88

The little guy can't fight back... awoke_in_2003 Oct 2014 #91

suitable for framing TorchTheWitch Oct 2014 #92

Another good book on authoritarian followers HeiressofBickworth Oct 2014 #95

TIP Skittles Oct 2014 #97

Only lower level individuals evidently Skittles Fumesucker Oct 2014 #99

I'll hold both of them responsible Skittles Oct 2014 #101

Her temp wasn't raised when she took the first flight, the CDC had cleared the nurses to work also Fumesucker Oct 2014 #103

your proof is a couple of posts from a newbie? Skittles Oct 2014 #104

It was OK for her to care for patients though? Fumesucker Oct 2014 #109

OK done here Skittles Oct 2014 #113

This is a very interesting obvservation. Marr Oct 2014 #102

Will we never be rid of these dense vicious erupting little ass-boils? NBachers Oct 2014 #106

In Buddhism we call it the World of Animality. It's the third lowest world from the bottom. DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #107

The news media in this country is no longer journalistic, but purely sensationalistic. True Blue Door Oct 2014 #108

Authoritarian is also a personality type as well as a political quasi-ideology Fumesucker Oct 2014 #120

Authoritarian personalities are an unhealthy variant of sadomasochism. True Blue Door Oct 2014 #123

Authoritarianism seems to be tied into malignant narcissism, Alkene Oct 2014 #116

Bookmarked and Kicked Quayblue Oct 2014 #121

K&R woo me with science Oct 2014 #122