If you girlfriend was missing in Haiti right now

[RefaelBA]

I don't know, seeing this disaster is one of the only times I really felt so sorry about people I never knew. I mean their lives sucked anyway, but now there are just millions of people with nothing to eat, dead relatives, nowhere to stay.
The 1906 San Francisco quake was considered such a great disaster when in fact the worst part about it was fire damage to buidings and possessions. I don't want to compare tragedies but in that 1906 quake, some 3,000 people died, and it was declared a national crisis... In Haiti the impact was almost 100 times stronger...

This earthquake ilterally destroyed Haiti. I don't know what will rise from the ashes eventually but it will be a completely different country. It's just chance that this didn't happen anywhere else. If 200,000 people would have died in LA tomorrow because of a quake, would you also be indifferent?

It's just a massive tragedy...

[coder0xff]

If 200,000 people would have died in LA tomorrow because of a quake, would you also be indifferent?

Yes. I'd prolly be like, "Wow, that sucks." But I'm not gonna loose any sleep over it.

[Major Banter]

Haiti has been a war zone for the past decade, it's riddled with guns, drugs and mercenaries.

I think it's interesting at the absolute scramble to help a shithole like it, with Florida, Israeli and UK fire services talking on the news; shows a brilliant side to humanity.

But for me it's raised the huge question of why New Orleans wasn't treated in the same way.

[coder0xff]

But for me it's raised the huge question of why New Orleans wasn't treated in the same way.

I was like, "Wow, that sucks." But I didn't loose any sleep over it.

[Major Banter]

But for me it's raised the huge question of why New Orleans wasn't treated in the same way.

I was like, "Wow, that sucks." But I didn't loose any sleep over it.

Question, not upset Coder. Until I'm involved in some horrific crisis, I'll donate my working arse rather than money if I can, and then get on with my life.

[MayheM]

I feel horribly for the people. Seeing something like that is heartbreaking to say the least. However a big part of the problem is the fact the people in power down there take all the money sent to help and keep it for themselves. The US has sent several billion dollars to Haiti over the last 10 years in the attempt to help them strengthen themselves but the country is in the same place it was 10 years ago, if not worse. Especially now that this disaster has hit it is far worse then it would be in an developed nation. At least Obama is taking precautions and being sure the money is going to the people and not going through the funnel of power which would equate to the people never getting any help at all. I will give him credit for realizing it is an issue. I do think part of that is the fact that Hillary Clinton dealt with the problem when Bill was in office. Bill Clinton tried very hard to help the people of Haiti but the money fell short of reaching the people who it was intended for. I am sure Hilary kicked some info Obama's way and warned him of the problems they will face when trying to help the people of Haiti.

As for what can you say to the guy about his girlfriend. What can you say beyond I am sorry and I hope she is OK.

I donated some money to the red cross to help. It was not as much as I wish I could give, but it was something.

[Penney]

PS- I don't think I read anything more then what z@c posted 'bout the children, so this is more in support of his one liner :/

Just a thought, but I feel as if its only reported because its an instant tragedy that people will pay close attention to as it developes, and as 'everyone' can't go over and see for themselves (before and after even) they turn on the ol' boob tube and clock in for hours of CNN, BBC, CBC, Fox, etc. because who knows, they might all stop broadcasting so much on that event next week, so "I WANNA KNOW WHATS GOING ON NOW! MUST KNOW BEFORE THE OTHER GUY!" get together in groves around the water cooler, kitchen tv, etc.- And news companies know that heart jerking, post christmas tragedies are gonna get a lot of attention from empithetic viewers like an obviously slightly underpriced 5 dollar strip show, it wasnt classy, it wasnt necessary (because we all know, life will go the fuck on) but it was worth the 5 bucks for that little ammount entertainment, shit you had nothing else to do, and you were probably going to spend that 5 bucks towards something else just as useless, and 5 dollar strippers of that quality aren't out and about every day, so you had to take advantage of the situation of course!

Thats why the SLOWLY BUT VERY PAINFULLY dying 15 million children dying every year isn't the big news story, because it's not a quick unexpected tragedy that people jump over couches to get to the TV for, it's a shame, its sad, but it is BORING.

Honestly, can you ever tell me one of you guys/girls has ever been glued to boring news report? Keep in mind though, even boring subjects such as the increase and decrease of gas prices can be "exciting" as the direct target is the consumer whos been driving their vehicle around all day to finally come home and watch a somewhat useless report on something they as an individual can't change but feel sympathy towards.

News really doesn't seem to be about "whats happening" or "the truth" anymore, it really seems like entire TV channels dedicated to "what news stories are best going to grab our viewers attention and hold it there long enough to sell them commercials that want to sell them whatever that company is paying us to sell the viewer/consumer". I actually feel offended when I hear things on those channels such as "blah blah blah... reporting live on this tragic event, alright join us after the break..." then they cut directly to a commercial trying to sell me some "stupid piece of god damn shit that doesn't do the fucking god damn job its supposed to" technological gimmic that 'the victims' don't have anyways, and we as viewers watching these litteral poor ass people, obviously have more then we need, even more then they 'the victims' have.

Also IF memory serves me right, wasnt that big tsunami in 04 right around christmas? Actually it was on the 26th, but that seems a little bizare, two majour quakes almost exactly 6 years apart, almost parralel to one another.

But thats just my two pennies

[Major Banter]

Penney; duh.

Sorry mate, but that's pretty obvious - but then again I'm doing media A levels. Some people it'll probably be a horrible shock but it's the way the world operates and there's fuck all you can do. We use 200 litres of water a day and African children are dying of thirst - I can't do anything about that, I can't ship it over, I just have to drop cash for them.

I think the media isn't a 100% evil being though, those 15 million get support from Oxfam and Children In Need; big fucking aid organisations.

Nice two pennies.

[Penney]

Alright you have me by my two balls, I don't know nearly as much about the media as an orginism as you do. I'm speaking all on observation. But it is my observation that if humans actually shit bricks to sit and watch and be dumb about something they damn well know they're not going to go out and change, and that the media knows this is what sells and not educational reports about science, or foreign elections, space exploration, and all together things that may inspire the viewer to get off their asses and do SOMETHING, ANYTHING, to support the progression of human evelution or the progression of human thought towards ACTUALLY helping all of us, as a race of humans instead of wasting time, dwelling SO much on the past tense, and more on the potential future, it will have a much greater impact on us all.

I bet if instead of dwelling so much on the negative sides "that sell" of such stories and events, the media instead used them somehow very strategically, they could have inspired their viewers to do so many great things. I'm NOT saying that they haven't inspired people now, and in the past to be things like Engineers (to make stronger, quake proof buildings) and doctors (who want to go over and help people in need who actually need it), but we all god damn know well how powerful the media's influence is on the modern day human and at a glance, you can't say it doesn't spell out monitary greed. They want to get as many viewers as they possibly can at specific times when they air these stories so that when they are selling commercial airtime to companies, the comapnies clearly see how many people are being hipnotized and the potential sales those companies will have by buying up slots to sell to the masses. I'm not blaming corperation and other companies for wanting to do what they do best, I just feel the world would be such a better place if they reported for the peoples own interests when such events like this occur.

It all does come down to the viewer, the viewer actually isnt a drone. It's their choice if they feel inspired to help out the best they can and feel the urgency to do so, but the viewer is a 21st century technomoron with too much info flying at them all at once and too many little things in life already to care about, rather then change tomorrow, instead of going on autopilot today.

[Dionysos]

This is, sadly, the truth.

[RefaelBA]

Dion and Penny, thanks for making this thread a lot better with these posts.

Penny, I agree with you basically, this frantic situation is absurd. I studied mass media, and what you're saying is not far from reality, albeit a little too paranoid. When I came to study this horrible truth, and my foolish teachers - they even sought to justify this disgusting system of emotional exploitation and scoop-seeking manipulators, I realized that I must elevate myself from what I call "the greatest abuse of technology ever". Once content met advertisement, once art met money, it all went downhill. I never watched TV again since that day, I can get my content on the net and from the nearest Blockbuster, and there's no way I'm wasting my money on that piece of crap television subscription. It's just like smoking - tossing some good money on destroying your health, only that mass media won't destroy your body, but your mind. YUCK.

In this age of over-information it's hard to care about every single thing that we hear about, because we hear about so much trouble everywhere in the world. When you hear about murder and horrors every evening, you become, how to say, comfortably numb. I don't lose much sleep over the troubles of the world either. But I'm glad I pulled myself out in time, to still keep some of my humanity and be able to feel at least some remorse when I hear of such a catastrophe... An evening's empire crumbling into sand. I don't blame anyone who doesn't feel a thing, but damn, how did we get there? Maybe I'm just a big wuss but I find myself caring about a lot of things that are seemingly unrelated to my life. Maybe it's because I didn't let the media turn me into a zombie like a lot of people did, or maybe I just live in a stupid backwards place, where some of the "old world" is still present in that way.

And here's to that:

The catastrophe in Haiti might be a ratings trap, but nevertheless it is real and terrible. To be honest I haven't seen a single "live feed" from Haiti, I learned about this disaster from personal sources, and then learned the magnitude of the event through the reports of the Haitian government. I don't really care what the media has to say, I just know it happened and that it ruined the lives of millions of people. Shit Happens? Maybe, but at you must acknowledge it's shit, serious shit.

Dionysos, this is the first time I see this piece, it's very impressive. How's the movie? Worth a watch? It's a great monologue, kudos to the writer.

P.S. I feel so truthful after this post!

[Penney]

He was an andriod and they had to make him stop talking while the moment was GOLD!

Naw but seriously, I really needed to see that Dionysos

[Dionysos]

It's from the movie Network and you should definitely watch it, in fact everybody should. There are many more scenes like this in the movie, and it's about more than just the media. Watch it, you'll never regret it. It got several oscars as I recall, and I'm baffled at how prescient the people who made it were in their time. It's a mystery to me why it's so little known, it should be compulsory in school.

You're all spot on with your views as well and I commend you for it. It makes me mad when people actually have the nerve to defend this system, and in the case of teachers it's just all the more terrifying. Sometimes the only comfort seems to be that not everyone supports it, and that some people actually get it.

[Penney]

It's just really bothersom to see people like my mother just staring away at the boob tube, absorbing all that shit to forget it in a month regardless. I'm with you Ref. I stopped watching and listening to the media all together years ago, that was mainly to do with the fact when I moved out I didn't own a TV, nor could initial afford to pay for net, but that class of low income helped me learn and grow as I was living a sheltered life only being raised by a TV, Counter-Strike players, and what internet could give me, as well as my parents but they worked a whole lot so I was mostly on my own. Either way, my lesson from that is that by actually having to struggle to pay bills (while making some time to just chill out), make new friends and contacts, and living on my own tought me most of my values that I have today, but had TV been there all that time, well err uhh, bet things would have turned out a lot different, perhaps I'd still be there, instead of being sorta homeless while reaping the bennifits that my government stole away from me years ago, I'd probably still be parked infront of a TV- ah but wait, theres one infront of me now! Cept it's just my buddy playing some friendly repetitive CoD4Mo'Fo'2 watchen and listenin to him get trash talked. Atleast I'm not being lied to, he does suck at the game

[RefaelBA]

Yeah well, it appears you got your entertainment after all!

Keep up with the rebel spirit mate