The World

For the 16th consecutive year, according to the FBI’s June 1, 2009 report, the Nation “as a whole” reports:

  • 2.5 percent decrease in the # of violent crimes
  • 1.6 percent decrease in the # of property crimes
  • 3.9 percent decrease in the # of arson

From year end 2007 to year end 2008.

http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/08aprelim/

However, if you watch the news agencies, you may think differently.  What is the premise or thesis of news? Let’s ask them.  News reporting agencies statements:

Fiction, (What they claim): It’s a fair and accurate reporting of what is going on in the world today.

Fact, (What they really mean): We comb the world over with a microscope looking for the smallest pockets of bad stuff happening, in order to jolt you to emotionally feel bad and disallow the well-being that is naturally yours thereby getting you into a fearful and lackful void feeling state while getting you in the mindset that buying things will fill that void we inspired and thereby buy stuff from our sponsors thereby lining our pocket$ under the pretense of “serving the public good by reporting news that’s a fair, balanced and accurate representation of what is going on in the world today”

So while it’s “true” that those things are happening, using their premise is entirely false.  They say the best lies are 99% truth.  How many people are willing to sit down and be lied to for hours on end?  Apparently, a lot.

If a ball is 99.999% white, and there is 0.0001% black and someone with a microscope focusing on the black specs reports to you that the ball is 95% (ratio of negative to positive news stories) is black, you’d be more than a little hesitant.  It’s blatantly obvious the ball is mostly white.  If they were telling you “That’s the way it is” or “That is your ball color today” or “This is a fair, accurate, and well balanced report on the color of this ball,” that is a bold faced lie.  Very bold.   And you’d feel it’s wrong from what you know innately.  But if they said it to you with a smile and a pretty face, you’d be more inclined to believe it.  However most people would start to believe that the ball is indeed black after sheer countless repartition and other news stations are reporting the same thing; the above ball is mostly black.   When, without the microscope focusing on only the black, the ball is clearly not black.  Not even close.  Not even by a long shot. And this is the problem: while the crime rate IS going down, the reporting of crime has gone up: 1,600%+ more.

The world is getting better and better.  For ever act of “evil” there is a million acts of kindness.  Crime is going down, the number of armed conflicts in 2000 vs 2008 went from 25 to 14.  The well-being is overwhelmingly dominant.  Sure you can find a crust of bread in the garbage dump, but you probably don’t need the reputation – while the news may be entertaining, it’s a disserving you.  “Well, I like to be lied to every night, and bits throughout the day, it’s fun.”  I promise you there are better ways to spend the time you have on this planet.

People ask with a sort twinge of disbelieve, like they are conversing with a backwoods hermit from the 60′s,
“How do you live without paying attention to the news?” aka “How can you live without someone telling you the white ball is actually mostly black?”

Quite well actually.

On a side note, similar topic, you didn’t come into this time/space reality to watch the tv/news.  True, while David Letterman said “Everyone has a purpose in life, maybe yours is watching television” it may not be your personal purpose.  They calculate how much of your life is spent sleeping, at work, in the bathroom, waiting in lines (traffic, shopping, etc), and after it’s all said and done, you get about two hours a day.  That is two hours of L-I-F-E.  That’s the essence of life, the juice of life, entirely yours delicious life, no obligations, absolute freedom you can do whatever you want.  And what do most people do with it?  Watch television.

The average American, by the age of 60 has watched 15 years (1/4 their life; 4 hours a day) of television.

People ask me, wide-eyed, shocked and unbelieving, “How can you live without a television?    To be honest, I never have a good answer.  But please answer me this:

“How can you LIVE, (in ever sense of the word: live life), with one?”

cheers.