Monomania of Media

Drawn to the extreme

It is hard to turn away from watching a train wreck.  A plane crash draws an audience immediately.  Disasters are perversely addicting.  A blend of wonder and disbelief, their appeal is primal, almost feral.  Even when one knows one should not, one does.  It is the self-destructive part of human nature.  Enjoy the show, like a deer in the headlights.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2025 as Prolegomenon

A year that demands a codicil This year will mark an inflection point in world history, but the question remains, “Which way will it turn?”  Every book was written with a human prologue, a creator’s motivation.  While even the best editors cannot save a poorly drafted work, some oeuvre becomes canon in spite of being written off by critics, both sagacious and stupid.  Popularity becomes the ultimate adjudicator in a court with no rules.  Life is seldom arbitrated, just as great novels are seldom authored by the collective.  However, the collective drives the vogue.  Who did you read about most this year?
Read more

Frothy Expansion

Tiny Bubbles in the Plonk A bubble is a little wonder, and we enjoy them because of their small pleasures.  Even when a big one pops, it is a guilty pleasure to watch.  The pop is not the problem, as each is the almost magical creation of something seemingly out of nothing.  When many appear out of the mix, the sudden expansion can become an explosion, destroying the very thing that holds it.  The reality is that the bubbles arose from the mix too quickly, and we were not ready for it. Good wine needs no bush.
Read more

Shortest Day, Longest Night

Little time for the holidays Strange ironies, the beginning of longer days marks the start of the coldest.   Most wait until there is the least amount of daylight to go out and celebrate.   A billion celebrate the birth of their savior by spending their short days buying things made by nonbelievers.   Then, many waste the better part of a long, cozy, sleepy night to stay up and watch midnight arrive.   And -- “Ho, Ho, Ho!” -- a tenth of the world sees its longest day and shortest night, while looking forward to shrinking daylight and a hot summer.  
Read more